DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - The Miami Dolphins’ offices will be closed Thursday in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew, giving players and coaches extra time to prepare for the storm and be with their families.
“Our biggest thing is making sure everybody is being smart once they leave here,” coach Adam Gase said Wednesday. “We want the safety of our players and the people in our building.”
Gase declined to say whether he would stay home or come to work.
“I’ll stay somewhere,” he said.
The original schedule had the team not practicing Thursday. The Dolphins’ most recent game was last Thursday, and they’re scheduled to play Tennessee at home Sunday.
Defensive end Mario Williams chuckled when asked what preparations he had made for Matthew.
“None,” he said. “I’ve been prepping for Tennessee. All of us haven’t gone around and gotten anything for a hurricane. It has been all Titans, believe me.”
Titans coach Mike Mularkey, a South Florida native, said his team has internally discussed the possibility of moving the game to Nashville if the Dolphins are unable to host it. But he hasn’t spoken with the Dolphins regarding a possible site switch.
“I’m more worried about a lot of family I’ve still got in the Fort Lauderdale area,” Mularkey said. “That’s No. 1 for me.”
A $500 million renovation of the Dolphins’ stadium last offseason included a canopy designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane. Matthew is expected to threaten South Florida on Thursday as a possible Category 4 storm.
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