The NFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Tuesday morning that the team will host the Bears at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
The league had been assessing the impact Hurricane Irma had on both the stadium and surrounding area before making a final decision on where the game would be played.
The game will kick off at its regularly scheduled time of noon CT.
“We have been working tirelessly with the Tampa Sports Authority, as well as the NFL league office, to ensure that Raymond James Stadium would be available to host our season opener against the Chicago Bears this Sunday.” Buccaneers Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford said in a statement. “Hosting the game is important to us, as Tampa Bay has been through a lot over the past few days. We look forward to providing our fans and the entire region an opportunity to come together this Sunday to kick off our 2017 season.”
It'll mark both the home opener and season opener for the Buccaneers, who were forced to cancel their Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins because of the hurricane. Those two teams will make up their game in Week 11, originally both teams' bye week.
The Bears will travel to Tampa Bay for the third straight season. The Buccaneers thumped Chicago last season, 36-10, in Week 10. The Bears were victorious in 2015, earning a 26-21 victory in Week 16.