Dolphins will not play at home on Sunday due to Irma

Thomson Reuters

(Reuters) - The Miami Dolphins will not play their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Sunday due to the potential impact of Hurricane Irma on South Florida, the NFL said on Tuesday.

"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.

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The NFL said it is considering other options, including playing the game on Sunday at a neutral site or in Miami later this season.

The Dolphins were originally scheduled to kick off their 2017 campaign at 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Irma, which could be the second powerful storm to thrash the United States in as many weeks, is expected to reach southern Florida on Saturday.

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