NEW ORLEANS, LA (WSAU) — After Hurricane Ida left the entire city of New Orleans without power on Sunday, officials with the NFL, New Orleans Saints, and Green Bay Packers are evaluating their options for getting the Week 1 game between the clubs played.
According to Jori Epstein of USA Today, it remains “to be determined” if the game will be played at the Caesars Superdome, as the city has other priorities right now.
Saints scheduled to host Packers Week 1, 9/12. TBD if at Superdome. Other priorities for NOLA right now.
"We’ll have a Plan B," Sean Payton tells us. "We fully anticipate starting the season with Green Bay. The question would be where it’s at. I don’t see it being in Green Bay."
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) August 30, 2021
The Saints evacuated to Dallas ahead of Ida making landfall and are scheduled to practice at AT&T Stadium today. They’re scheduled to stay in town through the end of this week.
According to Epstein, Head Coach Sean Peyton doesn’t see the game being played in New Orleans or Green Bay, meaning a neutral site is likely.
The storm canceled their preseason finale with the Cardinals.
Playing neutral site games following a hurricane isn’t unprecedented for the Saints. They played their first home game of the 2005 season against the New York Giants in Giants Stadium before splitting the rest of their home games between the Alamodome in San Antonio and LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
