In a rare move, the NFL has pushed back the start of the Bills and Steelers. Despite historically cold weather in Kansas City, the Chiefs and Dolphins are expected to play their game on time.
All week, the league has been bracing for a cold weekend of NFL playoffs. Orchard Park, N.Y., has been expected to be hit by a winter storm while Kansas City is set to have temperatures dip below 0 degrees Fahrenheit — before wind chill — when it hosts the Chiefs and Dolphins game.
Fans attending the game in Kansas City, however, are just going to have to be prepared to bundle up. Their game, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, is not going to be pushed back.
Here's why the NFL has kept one game at the same time and pushed back another.
Is Chiefs-Dolphins postponed?
The answer to that is a resounding no. The Chiefs-Dolphins game will not be pushed back, and will instead start on time. The reasoning behind keeping the game at the same time is clear: it is cold, not dangerous.
"There are no public safety travel concerns for getting to the stadium for fans, the clubs, stadium personnel or public authorities," a league official said, per ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques.
The National Weather Service lists the low for Saturday night as minus-10 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill bringing the temperature down potentially as low as minus-30F. Winds will reach up to 29 mph. However, there is not expected to be any snow at night. There is a possible accumulation of less than an inch of snow during the day, but not at night.
That is in sharp contrast to the situation in Orchard Park, which is currently in a winter storm warning. There is snow expected all day Saturday and high wind gusts up to 60 mph, even if the low is only expected to be around 21 degrees Fahrenheit. The forecast for Sunday, the day of the game, doesn't look much better. There is snow expected for most of the day with possible new snow accumulation up to 9 inches and wind gusts up to 45 mph. There also might be areas of blowing snow.
The snow has led to N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul placing a full travel ban in Erie County starting at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday to ensure public safety.
The Bills-Steelers game was moved from 1 p.m. ET on Sunday to 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday, when the forecast appears to be much clearer. There is only snow expected before 11 a.m. ET and winds will reach only 20 mph. The high for the day is 19 degrees Fahrenheit, so while still cold, the lack of snow will make it easier to travel around the area.
The other reason the Chiefs game was unlikely to be postponed is because it is unlikely the weather will get much warmer over the coming days. On Sunday, the high is 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the low is minus-5F, with wind chills between minus-21 and minus-31 during the day in the event the league decided to move the game to the Bills-Steelers' time slot. There is also a chance of snow Sunday night. Monday, the high will be 4 degrees and the low will be minus-6, though there will be less strong wind chills.
Given the playoff schedule, the league would be unlikely to make the Chiefs and Dolphins play any later than Monday given the lack of rest the teams would be able to have to play again the following weekend.
There are steps the league is going to take to ensure player safety in the cold. Louis-Jacques reported medical staffs for each team will discuss safe practices with the cold temperatures, and heating equipment and apparel like jackets, parkas, gloves, hand warmers will be provided, as will heated benches. The field will be covered and heated before the start of the game.
For fan safety, there will be hand warmers, warming stations and hot beverages. There will also be no halftime entertainment so fans can leave their seats and go into the bowl to warm up with play paused.
Kansas City weather forecast for Chiefs-Dolphins
- High: 6 degrees Fahrenheit
- Low: -10 degrees Fahrenheit
- Wind chill: -23F and -30F
The weather forecast for Saturday promises to be a freezing day for Kansas City fans in the cold. At night, there is a low of minus-10 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill values between minus-23 and minus-30, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts will be as high as 29 mph.
There is little snow expected in the forecast, with all of it expected to accumulate during the day and for it to reach less than an inch.
What time is Chiefs-Dolphins playoff game?
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 13
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
The Chiefs and Dolphins are scheduled to begin their game at 8 p.m. ET from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 13.
