UPDATED: Wednesday, Sept. 6, 10:15 a.m.
The Buccaneers-Dolphins Week 1 matchup will not be played at a neutral site after all.
Because of the imminent arrival of Hurricane Irma along the Florida coast, the Buccaneers-Dolphins Week 1 matchup has been postponed until Week 11, the NFL announced Wednesday (see full story).
The NFL was considering using a neutral site for the game, and Lincoln Financial Field was an option, according to a report by the NFL Network's Courtney Fallon. Another possibility was New Orleans, per the report.
Temple football hosts Villanova at the Linc on Saturday afternoon, the day prior to the Buccaneers-Dolphins game. Meanwhile, the Eagles don't hold their home opener until Sept. 24 in Week 3.
"In the interest of public safety in light of the current state of emergency, the NFL, in consultation with state and local officials as well as both clubs, has decided that playing an NFL game in South Florida this week is not appropriate," the league said in a statement (see story).
"The league will continue to examine other options, including playing the game this Sunday at a neutral site or in Miami later this season."