Bucs coach Todd Bowles: Hurricane relocation hurt preparation for Chiefs

TAMPA — The Bucs had a difficult week leading up to their 41-31 loss to the Chiefs.

Not only did they relocate players, coaches and staff to south Florida to find a safe place to prepare for the game away from Hurricane Ian, all told there were about 300 people, 18 dogs and a rabbit that made the trek south Tuesday-Friday.

After the defeat, Bowles was asked if the relocation affected the Bucs’ performance. “No, we just lost the game,” he said.

But during his weekly radio show, which airs Tuesdays, Bowles acknowledged that all the moving and distractions impacted the team’s preparation.

“The biggest thing is preparation and practice,” he said. “You’ll play how you practice. With all the movement last week, I don’t think we prepped as well as we should have or as well as some people could have. But preparation will be key this week.”

It’s understandable why the Bucs may have been a bit distracted with so many family members accompanying them and worrying about what was happening in Tampa.

The Marriott Biscayne Bay where the team stayed also was under construction and one of the meeting rooms leaked — characterized as “a waterfall” by the Bucs.

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