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The National Football League has rules, and they don’t like to bend those rules. However, on rare occasions the NFL makes exceptions, but it has to be for a good reason.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are in the final leg of playing three games in twelve days, they asked the NFL if they would be permitted to travel to Buffalo on Sunday, compared to their usual travel day of Saturday, before playing the Bills on Sunday Night Football.
Shockingly, due to the Steelers playing on back to back short weeks, the league office has given them permission to travel on the day of their game.
This per Brooke Pryor of ESPN:
The Steelers are traveling to Buffalo on Sunday morning, per team spokesman Burt Lauten.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 12, 2020
Team requested and received permission from the league to change travel plans because of schedule alterations forcing two short weeks in a row. pic.twitter.com/Tod03TaNsr
The statement from Steelers PR Director Burt Lauten reads:
“Due to a number of schedule adjustments which resulted in the Steelers playing on a short week two weeks in a row, we requested and were approved by the League Office to travel on game day to Buffalo for our Sunday night game. Our preparations and meetings will be conducted in Pittsburgh Saturday evening, and the team will then fly to Buffalo on Sunday morning and continue day-of-game preparations upon arrival in Buffalo.”
When was the last time the Steelers traveled to a game on game day? According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette it was in 2012 when they traveled and play the New York Giants on the same day due to Hurricane Sandy.
Because of the short week caused by the recent alterations in their schedule, the Steelers have received permission from the NFL to travel to Buffalo on Sunday. First time they have traveled on game day since Nov. 2012 when they played the Giants in NY during Hurricane Sandy.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) December 12, 2020
Will this matter? Considering the Steelers don’t play until Sunday night, and the flight from Pittsburgh to Buffalo isn’t that long, the Steelers should be able to handle the adjustment. On the flip side of the coin, the Steelers could benefit from staying in their own homes, and beds, for an extra night.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the Bills on Sunday Night Football in Week 14.