Bucs alter practice schedule ahead of Hurricane Helene

The Buccaneers have altered their practice schedule ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helene.

The Category 3 storm, with winds up to 130 mph, is expected to make landfall on the Big Bend region of the Florida Gulf Coast sometime Thursday afternoon or evening. The Tampa Bay region is under a tropical storm warning with gusts of 55 mph possible, according to the National Weather Service.

The Bucs have moved up their Thursday practice to 10:05 a.m. ET, so players are less impacted by severe weather.

“It definitely puts us inside,” head coach Todd Bowles said, via Kyle Burger of WFTS.

Staffers have removed goal posts from the outdoor practice fields and secured signage along the fence.

Kickoff of the game between the Bucs and Eagles, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, is not expected to be affected.