Folks gearing up for the Kansas City Chiefs versus Miami Dolphins AFC Wildcard game Saturday evening are some brave souls. According to the records, there has never been a Chiefs football game played in negative temperatures.
That might change come Saturday evening, with forecasts showing temperatures as cold as -1 degree for the 7 p.m. kickoff.
The coldest game in recent years was a 2016 Titans-Chiefs matchup, where the temperature dropped to 1 degree with windchills dipping to -19 degrees. The coldest postseason game played in Kansas City was against the Indianapolis Colts in 1996 with temperatures of 11 degrees.
The coldest game in Chiefs history played at Arrowhead Stadium was on Dec. 18, 1983, when they crushed the Broncos 48-17. The temperature that day, per Pro Football, was 0.5 degrees.
In case you are wondering, the coldest football game ever played was known as the “Ice Bowl,” and happened on Dec. 31, 1967. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys. The temperature at kickoff was -13 degrees and the wind chill was near 50 degrees below zero.
Thanks to an arctic blast, temperatures have dropped to the coldest readings so far this season. Highs on Saturday aren’t expected to make it out of the single digits.
Come Saturday night, even colder air is forecasted in the Kansas City area. Kickoff temperatures will be close to zero and could even dip below zero. If so, it will be the coldest game ever played at the stadium.
For fans going to the game, seats will be outside, unless you are Taylor Swift and have a suite, so frostbite is a big concern. According to the National Weather Service’s Wind Chill Chart, a temperature of zero with sustained winds of 20 mph will make it feel like -22 degrees. Exposed skin can develop frostbite in just 30 minutes.
How are fans staying safe while attending the game? One fan explained his reasoning for going to the game. “We got our tickets for free, and I couldn’t say no,” said Kyle Mellor, a third-year medical student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Chiefs fan.
His outfit for the game will include multiple cold-weather layers and even ski goggles. “And hot hands and hot feet, we have two packs.” He added.
Blankets will be allowed in the stadium and Mellor said he plans to bring some cardboard to stand on, which will retain more heat than the cold concrete.
Arrowhead is going beyond just allowing blankets into the stadium. There will be free hot chocolate for designated drivers and numerous warming stations. Read more here about what the stadium is doing to keep its patrons safe from the elements.
The Dolphins only have a day to acclimate to the cold weather. Temperatures in Miami were nearly 80 degrees when they departed South Florida on Friday.
Friday afternoon temperatures in Kansas City hovered around 10 degrees with wind chills of -5 to -10 degrees. Not to mention, some light snow was falling.
The Chiefs perform well in the cold weather. With Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, the Chiefs are 4-0 overall when the temperature is less than 18 degrees. 11-1 overall at home when the temperature is 35 degrees or colder.
The Dolphins, however, don’t do as well in the cold. They have lost 11 straight games at 40 degrees or less. They’re 1-17 when the temperature is below 49 degrees since Jan. 2017.
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