Hurricane Ida, which caused severe damage to coastal areas of Louisiana, including New Orleans, has forced the Saints to find a new home for their 2021 NFL season opener against the Green Bay Packers. According to NFL’s official press release issued on Tuesday, the two teams are now set to play their Week 1 game at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank Field, the home of the Jaguars.
The league said that the decision was made “in consultation with state and local officials and both clubs, in the interest of public safety.” The game will keep its original date of September 12th and kickoff time of 4:25 PM ET.
The Saints and the NFL chose the TIAA Bank Field as it was the closest available option. The stadium is free since the Jaguars play their Week 1 game on the road.
The Saints have been evacuated from New Orleans before Hurricane Ida reached the city and have been practicing at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium for the past several days. Moving forward, the team will conduct practices in Fort Worth, Texas, at the stadium of TCU Football.
The Saints will now have to wait until October 3rd and game against the New York Giants to play their first 2021 NFL season game in New Orleans. They are already scheduled to spend Week 2 and Week 3 on the road, playing away games against the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, respectively.
