Tennessee Titans postpone Saturday’s kickoff against the Houston Texans by an hour at the request of the mayor of Nashville as the city faces rolling blackouts with temperatures dropping below the teens
Nashville Mayor John Cooper asked the Titans to postpone Saturday afternoon’s kickoff
The city is facing frigid temperatures, causing problems with the power grid
Friday’s Nashville Predators game was powered by generators, Cooper said
Cooper made his request to the Titans with only hours left before kickoff
UPDATE: Kick-off from 12pm (local time) has been postponed to 1pm
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The Tennessee Titans delayed Saturday’s kickoff against the Houston Texans by an hour at the request of Nashville Mayor John Cooper over concerns about the city’s power grid amid freezing temperatures in the region.
Cooper made his request with just hours to spare before kickoff, which was scheduled for 1 p.m. EST and noon local time. The game now kicks off at 2pm EST. Continuous blackouts are planned by the Tennessee Valley Authority to alleviate demands currently plaguing the area’s power grid.
“I have been informed that TVA’s unilateral blackout will continue,” Cooper tweeted Saturday. “All non-essential businesses must reduce energy consumption. I’ve asked the Titans to postpone their noon game in solidarity with our neighbors. TVA must invest in infrastructure to withstand extreme temperatures.’
Crews remove tarps that covered the field overnight before an NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans Saturday
Nashville Mayor John Cooper (pictured here in 2020) is asking the Tennessee Titans to postpone Saturday afternoon’s kickoff against the visiting Houston Texans due to the power grid strain the city is facing amid bitterly cold temperatures
NFL spokesmen did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
The NHL’s Nashville Predators hosted the defending champion Colorado Avalanche on Friday and lost in overtime, but Cooper explained on Twitter that the game was powered by generators.
The NFL has traditionally tried to accommodate such requests from authorities, but postponing Saturday’s kickoff was no easy task, especially at a time when many fans have already begun their journey to the game.
Before Saturday’s kick-off, crews were seen removing the tarp at Nissan Stadium and using leaf blowers to warm up the turf.
Crews remove tarps that covered the field overnight before an NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans Saturday
Rookie quarterback Malik Willis gets the nomination under center for Saturday’s game after a probable season-ending ankle injury to Ryan Tannehill last week.
Tannehill was taken off the field on Sunday after Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack landed on his right foot during the Titans’ first offense. Tennessee would go on to lose 17–14, bringing the team’s losing slip to four games.
Playing in the miserable AFC South, the Titans are in control of their playoff destiny with three games left.
The Titans will face Houston Texas (1-12-1) in Nashville on Saturday and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 before concluding the regular season on the road against their division rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Continuous blackouts are planned by the Tennessee Valley Authority to ease demands currently plaguing the area’s power grid
The post NFL’s Titans asked to delay Saturday’s kickoff due to Nashville’s power grid strain amid cold temps appeared first on WhatsNew2Day.