The Chiefs and Dolphins are playing on the first day of the NFL's wild-card round on Saturday, and their contest may be one of the most intriguing of the weekend.
It isn't just because the two teams have some of the NFL's most explosive playmakers in Patrick Mahomes, Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, and De'Von Achane. It has to do a lot with the weather.
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Kansas City is expected to get some snow on Saturday. It won't necessarily be a lot, but if it falls during the game, it could have a major impact on how Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa can operate their respective passing offenses.
More importantly, however, it is expected to be frigid. Temperatures are expected to be in the single digits and may even drop below zero before game time.
In the opinion of Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, the projected conditions are irreplicable. That's part of the reason that the Dolphins aren't bothering to crank up their air conditioning within their practice facility before the game. It would only drop as low as 50 degrees with it operating at max capacity.
"I think that’s kind of insulting to the weather, at this point," McDaniel quipped about trying to recreate potential sub-zero conditions, per ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques.
Just how low might the temperature go? Here's what to know about the weather in Kansas City as the Chiefs and Dolphins get ready to square off.
MORE: Coldest games in NFL history
Chiefs vs. Dolphins weather updates
Saturday's game between the Chiefs and Dolphins is on pace to be one of the coldest in NFL history.
Weather.com reports that the temperature will peak at just 7 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas City on Saturday. However, by nighttime, the temperature could drop as low as minus-11 degrees. If that happens before kickoff, the Chiefs-Dolphins game will be just the fifth game in NFL history to begin in sub-zero temperatures.
The forecast shows that snow in the area is expected to end around 1 p.m. ET, which should allow for time to ensure the field is cleared before the game.
If the temperature isn't enough, the quarterbacks will also have to navigate steady winds around 12 mph throughout the night. Those aren't particularly bad, but the added wind chill to the sub-zero temperatures will make it feel even colder outside and could impact the ball flight ever so slightly.
All of that will combine to make the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game an unpredictable one that will be difficult for many players. Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will have to plan for this cold weather — they are 0-6 in games below 45 degrees under Tua's leadership — so the weather might add a bit to Kansas City's already strong home-field advantage.
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Coldest games in NFL history
As mentioned, the Chiefs-Dolphins matchup could end up being among the coldest games in NFL history. Even so, it is unlikely to match the record set by the 1967 Ice Bowl.
The Ice Bowl featured a battle between the Packers and Cowboys at Lambeau Field. The game kicked off with a temperature of -13 degrees, but a brutal wind chill made it feel like it was between -33 and -37 for most of the contest.
In total, four NFL contests have kicked off with a starting temperature below zero:
| Date | Result | Temperature | Site |
| Dec. 31, 1967 | Packers 21, Cowboys 17 (Ice Bowl) | -13 degrees | Green Bay |
| Jan. 10, 1982 | Bengals 27, Chargers 7 (Freezer Bowl) | -9 degrees | Cincinnati |
| Jan. 10, 2016 | Seahawks 10, Vikings 9 | -6 degrees | Minnesota |
| Jan. 20, 2008 | Giants 23, Packers 20 | -1 degrees | Green Bay |
Soon enough, we'll see if the Kansas City weather is cold enough to crack this list. Either way, the weather figures to be an advantage for the Chief as they look to win their first wild-card game since crushing the Steelers 42-21 back in 2021.
