MIAMI (AP) – The Tennessee Titans’ game against the Dolphins will be played in Miami as scheduled Sunday after South Florida escaped the worst of Hurricane Matthew.
Concerns that the game might need to be moved to Nashville were eased when the brunt of Matthew stayed to the east of the area when it passed.
“The consensus from local, state and federal officials is that Miami is safe and equipped to put on the game,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday. “Hosting the game there would not draw resources away from other needs.”
Titans coach Mike Mularkey was hoping to play the game at home. But his mother, brother, sister and some nieces and nephews live in the Fort Lauderdale area, so he was happy to hear South Florida was spared significant storm damage.
“My family was down there, and they said it was all clear, and that was good,” he said.
Titans players said they were glad the game won’t be disrupted.
“It’s always good to have everything go as scheduled,” defensive end Jurrell Casey said. “It stinks to have to postpone the game because of something that’s out of our control, but we just pray that everybody is OK, and whatever the situation is, we get a chance to go out there and play some football.”
For the Dolphins, the game is the start of an NFL record homestand that includes four consecutive games in Miami, along with a bye.
Dolphins offices were closed Thursday, but they planned to practice as scheduled Friday.
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AP freelancer Terry McCormick in Nashville contributed to this report.
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