This weekend’s NFL Wild Card playoff matchups are poised to encounter substantial weather challenges, with particular attention on the Saturday night game in Kansas City. NFL playoff weather forecasts suggest that this pivotal clash may unfold under historically frigid conditions, potentially establishing a new cold-weather record for the game between the Dolphins and the Chiefs.
The looming atmospheric impact adds an intriguing layer to the playoff dynamics, as players and fans brace for what could become an unforgettable, bitterly cold showdown.
Dolphins at Chiefs likely to be both teams’ coldest game ever
The NFL wild-card playoff game is going to be iconic not only because Tyreek Hill is going to face his former team, the Chiefs for the first time but also because of extreme weather conditions.
It is expected that this game will be the coldest game both teams have ever played. According to the recent NFL playoff weather forecast, a major arctic cold outbreak in the Plains is expected on Saturday night.
There are no reports about snow fortunately but kickoff temperatures are forecasted in single digits. Lingering northwest winds are also expected to cause wind chills well below zero.
It will be the coldest game for the Miami Dolphins. Their last coldest game was in Kansas City on Dec. 21, 2008. At that time the temperature at kickoff was 10 degrees and the Dolphins won 38-31.
This game is expected to be the coldest game for the Kansas City Chiefs as well. They had their coldest game against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 18, 1983. At that time, the daytime high was only 1 degree above zero.
For this wild-card playoff game, the wind chills are expected to be around -30 degrees at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night. These extreme NFL playoff weather conditions in this game are poised to make franchise history as potentially coldest game ever.
How cold was it during the Freezer Bowl?
The Freezer Bowl is an iconic game in NFL history known for its extreme NFL playoff weather conditions. It was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals and is famous for extreme cold with a minus 59-degree wind chill.
The Kickoff temperature was nine degrees below zero. The wind chill during the game was recorded at minus 59 degrees. Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium felt colder than a meat locker despite dazzling sunshine.
Bengals coach Forrest Gregg recalled the frigid NFL playoff weather conditions and compared it to the 1967 Ice Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite a lower mercury level (-13 degrees) in the Ice Bowl, the wind chill (-48 degrees) in the Freezer Bowl was more severe.
Inside the locker rooms, players took extreme measures. They wore pantyhose and layered Saran Wrap between socks for better insulation. Cincinnati’s offensive and defensive linemen opted not to wear long sleeves, aiming to use the cold to their advantage.
Officials allowed the use of Vaseline on exposed skin for protection, giving an advantage to players during physical interactions on the field. The freezer Bowl was won by the Bengals and now the Chiefs and Dolphins are set to face each other in an iconic game in extreme weather conditions.
The game between the Chiefs and the Dolphins will also have extreme NFL playoff weather conditions and players will have to take extreme measures to protect themselves from the cold and not let their performance get affected by the weather conditions.
