Why Packers' plane to Phoenix was delayed for over 5 hours. Chaos before Arizona clash

The Green Bay Packers' players and coaches were left distressed on the tarmac for over five hours.

Published on: Oct 19, 2025, 06:42:45 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The Green Bay Packers' players and coaches were left distressed on the tarmac for over five hours. Their plane to Phoenix on Saturday was delayed. Jordan Love and co play the Arizona Cardinals at 1:25 PM MT on Sunday.

Carrington Valentine #24 of the Green Bay Packers reacts after breaking up a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals (Getty Images via AFP)

The Packers typically fly on two separate planes, one carrying players and coaches, the other reserved for team staff. According to reports, the staff plane departed on schedule from Green Bay at 1:15 PM CT, while the second aircraft, carrying the players and coaches, was slated to leave just 15 minutes later.

However, a problem with the players’ plane was discovered too late to move them to the first flight. A replacement aircraft was dispatched from Detroit to Green Bay, further extending the delay.

After hours of waiting, the team’s plane finally pushed back at 7:05 PM CT, more than five hours behind schedule. The flight was expected to land in Phoenix at 8:32 PM local time, well after the initial planned arrival.

Why Green Bay Packers' plane was delayed on Saturday

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Packers are grounded in Wisconsin. Their plane faced ‘mechanical issues’.

"The Packers have yet to depart for Arizona because of mechanical issues with the team plane, per sources," Pelissero posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. "The delay is now approaching 5 hours, and they’re still on the tarmac. Kickoff against the Cardinals is at 1:25 p.m. Mountain time Sunday."

ESPN's Adam Schefter soon reported that the Packers switched planes and are set to depart shortly.

“After experiencing mechanical issues with their team plane that was scheduled to leave Green Bay for Arizona at 1:30 pm CT today, the Packers now have changed planes and are expecting to depart shortly. Their delay is now over five hours and counting,” he tweeted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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