The Dolphins were under a lot of heat for their lackluster offensive performance against the Chargers on "Sunday Night Football" in a 23-14 Week 14 loss.
And it wasn't just on the field. It was on the sideline as well.
Mike Tirico revealed during the NBC broadcast that the Dolphins decided to put heaters on their sideline during the game.
Saw some scuttlebutt about the Dolphins having heaters on their sideline last night. In Los Angeles. In a partially outdoor stadium.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 12, 2022
Being the trained journalist I am, I held a healthy level of skepticism.
Alas, I do believe I've spotted the heaters. #InvestigateJournalism pic.twitter.com/u65GZwMWAJ
Normally, few would pay attention to this. Teams travel around with sideline-warming equipment frequently in the season's winter months to make sure that their players and staffers don't get too cold while on the bench.
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There was just one strange thing about Miami's decision on Sunday: the game was being played in Los Angeles.
Indeed, it was a chillier night than usual in Southern California, and SoFi Stadium isn't a fully closed dome; it does allow a light breeze through despite largely being covered.
Still, it was 55 degrees during the game, so naturally, many were amused by the fact that the Dolphins used heaters for that contest.
This was especially true since Miami is set to play in Buffalo in Week 15. Comparatively, Buffalo's high temperature is set to peak at 34 degrees on Saturday, per Weather.com, and the Dolphins may have to battle a few inches of snow during that contest, which starts at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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As such, NFL fans took time to poke fun at the Dolphins and prognosticate that Miami could struggle to adapt to the Buffalo weather.
Mike Turico just said it’s 55 degrees in LA and the Dolphins are using propane heaters. 😏
— Goodberry Variant (@GoodberryVarint) December 12, 2022
Cute. pic.twitter.com/3j827QzLRE
If I’m the Bills there’s a 0% chance I’m putting heaters on the sideline for Saturdays game. Let the dolphins freeze
— Kyle Nap (@KyleNaps) December 12, 2022
The #Dolphins cannot hope to win in the playoffs if they needed space heaters on the sidelines in Los Angeles https://t.co/ex6lmKmlHf pic.twitter.com/0r5RWMEW36
— Scott Spratt (@Scott_Spratt) December 12, 2022
Dolphins got heaters for 50 degree weather that team aint surviving in Buffalo
— justin (@justinontwt) December 12, 2022
They can have heaters but no chicken broth. pic.twitter.com/dfJeIFh123
— BillsMafiaBabes (@BillsMafiaBabes) December 12, 2022
Keep those heaters away from the footballs. They can impact air pressure and, next thing you know, there's a federal case over PSI, footballs and the powers of the commissioner. https://t.co/XbKpw3oEnD
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) December 12, 2022
Dolphins have propane heaters in a dome stadium in LA
— Nick T (@Nicky_the_beard) December 12, 2022
I want it to snow so badly next weekend now
That said, there was a subset of the NFL world that actually understood where the Dolphins were coming from and defended them.
The Dolphins bench has heaters at SoFi Stadium. I don’t blame them. It’s been cold as hell in LA
— Master (@MasterTes) December 12, 2022
Below 70 is intolerable. I see nothing wrong with the heaters. https://t.co/fvLy1IV88M
— Mike Cugno (@MikeCugnoCBS4) December 12, 2022
Ppl making fun of the dolphins having heaters on the sidelines have never been to SoFi. Yah it has a roof but it’s not fully connected on all sides, the air from the outside still gets in where it doesn’t connect and it can get really cold
— kp🐬 (@finsupkp) December 12, 2022
Whichever side of the camp you fall on, it's undeniable that if the Dolphins thought it was cold in Los Angeles, then they will find themselves freezing in Buffalo on Saturday.
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The weather in Buffalo will also be the polar opposite of the Week 3 Bills vs. Dolphins game in Miami. Temperatures were in the 90s that day, and the combination of the sun beating down on the field and the humidity caused numerous Bills players to cramp up.
“Breathing was tough sometimes," Josh Allen said, per the AP. "We had some really, really long drives."