Stadium Heat Overwhelmed Haason Reddick
September 23rd, 2025
Now here’s an argument in favor of starters playing more in the preseason.
Newcomer Bucs edge rusher Haason Reddick played his first home game as a member of the Bucs on Sunday against the Jets.
He felt it in more ways than one.
“That first quarter, that first part of Sunday, though, it was a little different because we don’t usually practice at that time,” Reddick said. “And I don’t know what it is about this stadium, but it made everything like 10 times more hotter, the humidity, I don’t know what it was. But I’ve been getting acclimated really well. The biggest thing is staying up on my hydration.”
Reddick’s comments came via the Buccaneers Radio Network. He also stressed how impressed he is by the Bucs training staff being on so many details when it comes to keeping players’ bodies and hydration right through practice days and games.
The forecast for Sunday’s Bucs-Eagles game in Tampa is 91 degrees and sunny.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:02 am
An NFL gameday recap on the Bucs game started by showing a thermometer out in the sun at the stadium.
IIRC, it showed a temperature of 102 F. That’s not unusual for Tampa. I’ve seen those hit 112-114.
Fwiw, those temperature readings they give you on TV, are taken in the shade.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:05 am
On Sunday it was blazing in the stands so I couldn’t imagine what it felt like on the field
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:07 am
“Impressed by the Bucs training staff” is a wild comment. Ge’s drinking the potion. This training staff agas been inadequate for years. We cant keep players healthy or get healthy players back in reasonable time if our life depended on it. Go Bucs!
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:12 am
He has to tow the company line on saying how good they do.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:13 am
Eagles wearing dark green uni’s wearing down in the 4th quarter because of the run game is what I want to see this week
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:15 am
@Rover, until you can cite what they’re doing wrong you’re essentially scapegoating them. A player impressed by the Bucs staff speaks more than any fan with a double digit BF%
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:17 am
It’s not home field advantage when your fans are passing out and people have to go home early because it is so hot. Stadium needs a roof or new stadium needs a roof.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:19 am
Looks like our defense succoumed to the heat more than the Jets……some heat advantage….never thought it has helped us…
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:22 am
That was the most normal September game I’ve ever been to. I had long sleeves on and felt fine. The humidity wasn’t blazing like in the past September games “I have been to.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:22 am
Don’t you dare talk that mess here. Tampa Bay football is outdoor football and real grass. Now get off my lawn.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:23 am
Bucs used to play September home games at 4:00. Bucs sideline was in the shade and visitors in the sun. Not sure why they got away from that? Orders from NFL?
An indoor stadium is badly needed.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:33 am
Echoing a comment above, why are September games not scheduled at 4PM? That used to be the norm.
Also, why (apparently) was a team that practices in NY better acclimated than our guys?
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:34 am
I feel the rath of injuries is due to the players NOT being in football shape. Some playing in the pre-season is necessary. Going from standing on sidelines to playing 4 qtrs all out is one hell of adjustment.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:45 am
i would never go to dome games, but i love outdoor games. bring the heat. does the field itself run north south anyone know?
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:46 am
it’s crazy hot in new york in the summer bill, excruciatingly hot
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:49 am
1:00 games in that blazing sun is hotter than 4:00 games. They also have shades for both sidelines. Not as much of a breeze either.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:51 am
I have said it for years and my wife echoed it on Sunday whole team should get IVs at halftime…
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:51 am
The heat is our home field advantage. A dome takes that away. The game was meant to be played outside.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:56 am
Jim Hen, the game was also meant to be played in the Great Lakes states and northeast.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:01 am
Becker
Yes. North/South
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:07 am
how about putting a dome on the stadium? It was unbearable for the first quarter. And I can imagine how bad it was for the players.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:08 am
Has our indoor training facility made our guys soft and taken away an advantage we used to revel in?
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:10 am
It was said on Sunday that it was 140 degrees on the field at one point. Pretty hot indeed. NY gets hot too, but nothing like here. That is our advantage. Just like Buffalo with the cold and snow. They aren’t having a dome on their new stadium. It will have some type of canopy for fans for wind/snow, but that’s it.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:15 am
The temperature gauge they showed for the field temperature was between 120F and 140F. Just like we like it. Hope it’s just a hot on the field for Philly. lol.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:16 am
I am so old I remember two a day practice. I don’ remember heat issues, hamstring injuries or other injuries. All players need at least some time in preseason games. The players are just not in game shape,
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:20 am
They rarely use the indoor facility during training camp so you are wrong Bob
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:27 am
“Now here’s an argument in favor of starters playing more in the preseason.”
I cannot believe our Joe actually wrote this! The worthless, useless pre-season?
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:30 am
They actually showed the ‘on-field’ thermometer, sometime during the second half, and it showed somewhere around 127-130 degrees, best of my memory.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:33 am
Todd Bowels and Camp Cupcake. Not surprised.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:36 am
The 4:00 window is either for West Coast games or big-time marquee national games. The league isn’t going to slot Bucs/Jets at 4:00 just so the Bucs can have some shade.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:42 am
We used to call September home games, “Hell Bowls” cos of the heat and humidity. I’ve been to them in both stadiums. People forget about the humidity. It, too, can get very dangerous. Well, Joe is changing his tune about the “worthless preseason games”? Wonder why? Enquiring minds would like to know. LOL. Go gutsy Bucs!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:57 am
STOP THE WHINNING!!!!!!
we only have to put up with the heat for a few more weeks….OCT 1pm games are very nice…born and raised in tampa so the heat never bothered me…
with that said, i’d prefer a canopy…no dome!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:58 am
lovie held practice at 1pm during training camp!!!!!….lol
GO BUCS!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:58 am
Retractable dome. Maybe a retrofit? New would be about $2Bill.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:06 am
Bucs should’ve had a retractable roof many seasons ago. Way too hot out there and uncomfortable. Most locals know better than to attend the games which is why so many of our home games turn into away games. Why suffer through that heat outside, when you can enjoy at home on your TV, and with a better view and usually superior commentary.
Ofc there’s the home field hear factor, which has occasionally played a role in the past when we used to practice in this weather. But those days are numbered. It’s time to evolve.
Go Bucs.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:19 am
The key concept is heat acclimatization vs. chronic heat stress.
The Bucs have an advantage on heat acclimatization.
The Bucs have a disadvantage because of chronic, unrelenting heat exposure.
It’s a continuous, day-in-and-day-out exposure to high temperatures and humidity. The body needs more energy to recover from this and if your body gets used to having recovery.
My guess is that the Bucs during their weekly practices are not trying to simulate the 3-hour games but instead giving the Bucs players the time off they need during the week to recover and therefore limiting the chronic heat stress.
So, the Bucs have to deal with it in multiple ways why the opposing team just has the one acute traumatic event.
I’d love to see more on the sports science of this all and how the Bucs deal with it regarding the data they get on individual players. Because I am sure there are lots of variations.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:25 am
Pewter power how are you going to see a run game with ups drivers blocking all pro lineman?
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:26 am
And this why we don’t want this game moved to 4:25 on Sunday.
Prior to Brady we’ve been 1 pm losers for many years at RayJay in Sep, I never cared for the argument about wearing our Away jerseys at home for most of the season because of temperature, since we still lost a lot of games. And yet the quality of the team has me certainly second guessing the discussion. Riddick’s comments have some meaning as well. If we can hang with Phili early, that 4Q will be a bear for the Eagles if they are playing from behind.
All bets are off if both Wirfs and Godwin return for this game. I’m happy with whatever outcome as long we make it slugfest. We have yet to see our best ball yet.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:31 am
Hire a guy to hand Mike a bottle of Gatorade and remind/make him drink it force-ably if necessary. I do not see how Pros can’t keep hydrated. I too was amazed at the on field temps they were broadcasting. Thought the thermometer was needing calibration. That is way hot for Tampa in mid September.
Go Bucs!
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:53 am
Garro — I tend to think Mikes injury is related to his severely messed up hamstring that has all sorts of scar tissue and is not related to electrolytes.
How about you?
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:54 am
I hope it’s burning Hot for them Eagles in Tampa. The hotter, the better
September 23rd, 2025 at 12:02 pm
They practice outdoors way to much. There’s no getting conditioned to the heat. It tears the body down. Bucs should practice no more than once a week outside. During training camp, get out of the sun stupid, there’s an air conditioned building we can practice in. Practicing daily in extreme heat is a killer, plain, and simple. The injuries this team has is proof of that. Evans hammy popped late in the game, when I’m sure he was dehydrated. It’s bad enough enduring the heat for games a couple of times in Sept, why subject yourself to that torture all summer long? Makes no sense.
September 23rd, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Coach Tom Moore is at work really early and is on the field in the hot temps, all day long. He is 86 years old and has been doing it for years.
September 23rd, 2025 at 12:23 pm
The heat advantage at home myth, I suppose, will never go away. The Bucs all time September home record in September is 38-50.
September 23rd, 2025 at 1:14 pm
I think that has more to do with the Bucs being horrible for much of their history as opposed to the on field temperature.
Fry Eagles Fry
September 23rd, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Play more in the preseason Joe?
You mean those 3 MEANINGLESS games?
September 23rd, 2025 at 3:01 pm
It was hot Sunday but not as hot as I have felt in Ray Jay! Can’t afford club level so I make up for it by only picking seats on the home side and as high as possible (Row DD)! There’s always some breeze up there and catches some shade from the wall by 4th quarter. lol
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:37 pm
“how impressed he is by the Bucs training staff”
Oh noes! Our troll farm is going to get irritated. A couple of guys here love to blame the Bucs training staff everytime the Bucs get injuries.