GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Green Bay Packers are headed to the Sunshine State for week one of the NFL regular season.
The game was supposed to be in New Orleans against the Saints.
The aftermath of Hurricane Ida forced the change in venue.
Now, New Orleans’ season opener will be played in Jacksonville at TIAA Bank Field.
One local Packers fan will follow the team to Jacksonville.
For Little Chute resident Jordan Bayorgeon, it’s all about a tradition.
“My friend Tyler and I decided a few years ago that every year we were going to go to an away Packer game. So we’ve been to Atlanta, Kansas City, Los Angeles,” Bayorgeon said.
This year, Bayorgeon planned to go to New Orleans to watch the Packers take on the Saints, but Hurricane Ida had other plans.
“First our thoughts are with everybody in New Orleans. That’s a bad deal that they’re going through so we’ll adjust,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said.
Bayorgeon is in the process of rerouting his trip from New Orleans to Jacksonville.
“We started really looking right away. We found a hotel already in Jacksonville, so now we’re working on flights and hoping that the tickets transfer over nicely,” Bayorgeon said.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur says there are pros and cons to the change.
“There are some positives, it probably won’t be quite as loud. But the negative is it’s hard to simulate that kind of heat. So our guys are going to have to do a great job of hydrating and taking care of their bodies all week,” LaFleur said.
While Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst says the organization didn’t have much say in the decision…
“I’d love to have it here though. Woud’ve been nice,” Gutekunst said.
Comments