The Glazer family, owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, announced Thursday it would be donating $1 million to assist in disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Ian.
The donation will be distributed to "organizations that are providing support to those who have been most impacted by the storm in Southwest Florida and throughout the state," a team statement announced.
“The destruction suffered in Southwest Florida and the damage inflicted throughout our state will be felt for some time," Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz said in the statement. "It will take entire communities resiliently working together for an extended period and our family is committed to aiding in the recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the countless people affected, the heroic first responders and all of those helping to keep others safe.”
Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the United States and affected Floridians on both coasts of the state, knocking out power to 2.67 million homes and businesses, per the Associated Press. Ian was downgraded to a tropical depression Thursday morning, but is expected to regain hurricane strength by Friday, when it is predicted to hit South Carolina.
The Buccaneers left the Tampa area earlier in the week, practicing instead in the Dolphins' facility in Miami, but will be returning to city Friday after practice, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported. While there had been contingencies made in case the Bucs' scheduled home game couldn't be played in Tampa, the NFL announced Thursday that the Sunday Night Football matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs would go on as originally scheduled.