Source – Despite frigid temps, Dolphins-Chiefs won’t be postponed،
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Despite forecasts for extremely cold temperatures, Saturday night's AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs will not be postponed, an NFL source confirmed to ESPN .
The National Weather Service predicts wind chill temperatures will drop to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit during the game, but without a travel advisory in place, the NFL source said the game will go on as scheduled.
“There are no public safety concerns in getting to the stadium for fans, clubs, stadium staff or public authorities,” the source said.
That's not to say there won't be measures in place to keep players and fans safe during subzero temperatures.
NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills and other league medical consultants have been in contact with medical staff from both clubs, as well as medical staff from the NFL Players Association.
The team medical staff will brief players, coaches and other team personnel prior to the game on safe practices in cold weather. Each team will have gear and equipment to provide additional protection against cold temperatures, the source said, including heated benches, other heated equipment, thick jackets and parkas, gloves, hand warmers and fluids to avoid dehydration. The Arrowhead Stadium playing field will be properly covered, heated and prepared prior to Sunday's game.
For fans, the Chiefs are taking additional measures including warming stations, hand warmers and hot drinks. They also refrain from halftime entertainment in an effort to encourage fans to leave their seats and seek warmth. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said this week there's no real way to prepare for conditions like what his team will face Sunday night. their indoor facility's air conditioning goes down to only about 50 degrees, so he said he wouldn't bother running it during practice.
However, he admitted that it was a special experience to be able to play in a match like this.
“No one likes to be cold. That's why we have temperature control,” McDaniel said. “However, it makes the moment greater when you know that it's an absolute fact that it's going to be freezing. Well, what if as a team you found a way so that it didn't affect you? Power go and To achieve sporting performances in this weather, you need will.
“It comes from a deep passion that developed when a lot of these guys started playing the game that you unlock.”
The Dolphins and Chiefs are scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and are broadcast on Peacock for fans outside of the Miami and Kansas City coverage areas.
