The Jacksonville Jaguars may be on the road for Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, but it looks like TIAA Bank Field will still host football that weekend. The matchup between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, which was originally scheduled to take place at the Caesars Superdome, has been moved to Jacksonville in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The news was shared by New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Amie Just and Jeff Duncan on Wednesday morning.
Hurricane Ida made direct landfall in southern Louisiana this week as a Category 4 major hurricane, and the result was significant damage to the power grid and infrastructure in the region, including the city of New Orleans. The Saints evacuated to the Dallas area, where they will continue to practice.
According to the report, the Superdome didn’t sustain any structural damage in the storm, but the city remains largely without power.
The Jags are on the road in the first game to take on the Houston Texans, making TIAA Bank Field the nearest stadium in the southeast that isn’t being used for a game or other event that weekend. As a result, Jacksonville was the clear candidate for the game. It will retain its previous kickoff time of 4:25 EDT.
Football fans in Jacksonville looking for something to do after the Jaguars’ 1 p.m. season opener on Sept. 12 now have the option to check out a matchup between a pair of NFC teams that made the playoffs a year ago.
