Record-Setting Heat Forces Las Vegas Raiders To Change Minicamp Schedule
Jun 14, 2021, 1:19 PM | Updated: 1:22 pm
HENDERSON, NEVADA - JUNE 10: Construction continues at the 336,000-square-foot Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 10, 2020 in Henderson, Nevada. The site will serve as the team's practice facility and will include three outdoor football fields, a 150,000-square-foot field house with one-and-a-half indoor football fields, a three-story office area, and a 50,000-square-foot performance center. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – When the Las Vegas Raiders moved from the Bay Area last year, they likely knew the desert heat could cause some problems. As we know here in Utah, the western United States is undergoing a record-setting heatwave this week.
But the potential temperatures in Vegas make Utah’s temps look like a cool summer day.
Las Vegas is staring down potential highs of 117 or 118 degrees this week. Not ideal for the Las Vegas Raiders, who are starting up their mandatory minicamp practices on Tuesday, June 15th.
The Raiders are moving to an early morning schedule for the three days of minicamp to avoid the excessive heat.
Las Vegas Raiders go to early morning minicamp practices
Raiders insider Vincent Bonsignore from the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported today that the Raiders would be moving their practices to a 7:30 a.m. start to beat the heatwave.
The @Raiders really had no choice but to move their minicamp practices to 7:30 am this week given the intense heat on the horizon. As someone told me yesterday: “We have to deal with 118 degrees.”
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) June 14, 2021
The Raiders have an indoor practice facility located in Henderson, Nevada, just 16 miles outside Las Vegas. But according to Bonsignore, space is an issue. With a 90-man roster during minicamp, space is limited to accommodate full NFL practices in their indoor facility.
That space is 1 1/2 fields, so it would be pushing it with a 90-man roster, and all the space needed for position periods and splitting team into offense defense. https://t.co/WiJa0BAmZQ
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) June 14, 2021
Four players on that 90-man roster have ties here to the state of Utah. Former BYU tight end Matt Bushman signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Raiders this past May. He joins a trio of Utah State Aggies on the Silver & Black roster. Those Aggies include cornerback Nevin Lawson, safety Dallin Leavitt, and kicker Dominik Eberle.
