Hundreds of Tampa Bay fans were forced to leave their game against the Carolina Panthers at halftime after facing brutal weather conditions on the day.
The NFC South rivals met for their final game of the regular season on Saturday, where both teams were still fighting to earn a place in the post-season.
In the end, the Bucs kept their playoff dreams alive after preventing a late Panthers comeback and securing a dramatic 16-14 win on the day.
Despite the fact they face a nervy wait to discover if they have reached the post-season, there were jubilant scenes inside the Raymond James Stadium after the game as the Tampa Bay players and coaches celebrated with their fans.
However, there was a large portion of Bucs fanbase who missed out on the festivities after being forced to abandon the game due to torrential rainfall on the day.
Martin Thomas, a Bucs fan who owns the Best of British Pub in Orlando, told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s crazy. The entire season is on the line, they’re winning in a tight game and hundreds of people are leaving at half-time because it’s raining and there’s no shelter!
Hundreds of Tampa Bay fans were forced to leave their game at halftime due to torrential rain
A number of Bucs fans, wearing drenched rain ponchos, were seen heading for the exits
Thomas also provided video footage which showed hundreds of fans piling out the exits at the Raymond James Stadium as they sheltered from the rain.
The fans appeared drenched from head-to-toe as they waddled out of the stadium and into the parking lot in their Bucs-themed rain ponchos.
Other footage from the day showed the torrential rainfall during the game, which fell directly onto the unprotected fans in the stands.
The Raymond James Stadium is one of 20 open-air stadiums in the NFL and provides no cover for fans sat in attendance.
Currently, there are a number of NFL teams – including the Browns, Commanders, Chicago Bears and Tennessee Titans – who are in the process of moving from outdoor fields to domed stadiums.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs recently announced their plans to leave their iconic Arrowhead – an open-air stadium – to build a brand new domed home.
At the time of leaving, the Bucs were 13-7 ahead and, luckily for the departed fans, managed to hold onto that lead to keep their playoff dreams alive.
Pictures from the game showed the heavy rainfall which fell in Tampa on Saturday night
There is no protection for fans from rainfall inside the open-air Raymond James Stadium
They must now wait for the Atlanta Falcons game against the Saints on Sunday. If the Falcons lose that game, the Bucs will be heading for the post-season.
However, if the Falcons manage to beat the Saints instead, then the Panthers will progress to the playoffs as NFC South champions at the expense of the Buccaneers.
On Saturday, Baker Mayfield lead the way for the Buccaneers after completing 16-of-22 passes for 203 yards including one touchdown and one interception.
Meanwhile, despite Bryce Young’s best efforts for Carolina, it wasn’t enough. The QB completed 24-of-35 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns on the day.