Evacuated Miami Dolphins arrive in LA for extended stay

Elizabeth Ponder, center, hugs her daughter Exodus Ponder, left, while standing in line at the Savannah Civic Center before evacuating from he path of Hurricane Irma, Saturday, Sept., 9, 2017 in Savannah, Ga. Irma regained Category 5 status late Friday. Thousands of people in the Caribbean fought desperately to find shelter or escape their storm-blasted islands, and more than 6 million people in Florida and Georgia were warned to leave their homes. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins escaped Hurricane Irma by beginning an extended stay in California.

The Dolphins evacuated from South Florida before the storm’s arrival and will practice in Oxnard, California, next week to prepare for their delayed start of the season, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.

The person confirmed the Dolphins’ plans to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t publicly disclosed them.

Team owner Stephen Ross flew players, coaches, traveling staff and their families to Los Angeles on Friday as the hurricane approached Florida, the person said. Other players who had already left the state in advance of Irma are also arriving in Los Angeles.

The Dolphins will have a team meeting Tuesday and will practice beginning Wednesday at the Dallas Cowboys’ complex in Oxnard. The Los Angeles Rams also offered the use of their complex.

Miami will open its season at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 17. The Dolphins had been scheduled to open Sunday at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that game was postponed until Nov. 19.

Because of Irma, the Dolphins told players Wednesday to take the rest of this week off.