Buccaneers, NFL monitoring Hurricane Ian ahead of Bucs-Chiefs 'SNF' clash

What has become Hurricane Ian is threatening to disrupt a pivotal MLB series between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves as those clubs battle it out over the National League East division title. It appears the storm expected to make landfall in Florida at some point this week could also directly impact at least one NFL team and possibly one of the league's Week 4 games. 

Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed while speaking with reporters Monday that the franchise is working with the NFL on contingency plans. Those plans could involve relocating the team for midweek practices and possibly moving the upcoming "Sunday Night Football" showdown between the 2-1 Bucs and 2-1 Kansas City Chiefs currently scheduled to occur at Tampa Bay's Raymond James Stadium. 

"Right now we’re still monitoring things, but we’re working things out with the league and we should have a decision hopefully later on (Monday) about what we’re going to do," Bowles explained coming off Sunday's disappointing 14-12 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Bowles added that moving the Buccaneers-Chiefs game to a different city depending on where Ian makes landfall was on the table as of Monday afternoon. 

Back in September 2017, the NFL postponed a scheduled regular-season opener between the Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins because of Hurricane Irma. More recently, Hurricane Ida forced the league to relocate a game between the New Orleans Saints and Packers from New Orleans to Jacksonville in September 2021.