Breaking NFL protocol, the Pittsburgh Steelers will fly into the New York City area Sunday morning to play the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The change was made because the Steelers’ scheduled hotel, the Jersey City Westin, has been without power since Hurricane Sandy hit the New York area on Monday. No other area hotels could be found to accommodate the team on such short notice.
NFL rules dictate visiting teams arrive one day before the game, which in this case is a 4:25 p.m. ET start. However, under the circumstances, the league waived the rule.