This weekend’s NFL Wild Card matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs is shaping up to possibly be the coldest game in league history at kickoff. With weather reports indicating a kickoff temperature of -2 degrees Fahrenheit and winds up to 40 miles per hour, the windchill on the field could approach as low as -35. If the temperature is -1 at kickoff, it would officially be the coldest game in league history.
The NFL has witnessed its share of games played in harsh weather conditions but few things challenge the resilience of players and fans quite like the bone chilling cold. This weekend’s freezing matchup between the Dolphins and Chiefs may set a new record, so let’s take a look back at the five most bone-chilling, coldest games in NFL history.
Ice Bowl: Cowboys vs. Packers December 31, 1967
Arguably the coldest game in NFL history, the 1967 NFL Championship clash between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers famously known as the “Ice Bowl ” claims the top spot on our list. With temperatures plunging to a bone-numbing -13 degrees Fahrenheit, and wind chills plummeting to staggering -48 degrees, Lambeau Field transformed into a wasteland. The Packers secured a victory with a last minute touchdown to win the game, 21-17, etching themselves into football folklore as the ultimate cold weather warriors.
Freezer Bowl: Chargers vs. Bengals January 10, 1982
Second on our list of the coldest games in NFL history is the AFC Championship Game of 1982 — commonly referred to as the “Freezer Bowl.” This frigid encounter saw the San Diego Chargers face off against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium where temperatures dropped to a -9 degrees, with wind chills hitting a -59 degrees.
The Bengals, who are used to the weather, completely dominated the game over the warm-weather Chargers and ended up winning 27-7 securing their spot in the Super Bowl.
Tundra Bowl: Seahawks vs. Vikings, January 10, 2016
The NFC Wild Card game in 2016 was a clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings, which became infamously known as the “Tundra Bowl.” The temperature at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis during game time was a bone-chilling -6 degrees, with a wind chill of -25 degrees. It turned out to be quite a battle with the Seahawks securing a narrow win, 10-9. Their triumph was partly aided by a missed field goal from the Vikings in the final moments of the game.
AFC Playoffs: Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Dec. 28, 1991
Another memorable and freakishly cold game took place during an AFC playoff game on Dec. 28, 1991. The Oakland Raiders traveled to Kansas City in what would go down as one of NFLs games coldest NFL games ever recorded. The temperature at kickoff was -6 degrees and despite these conditions it was the Chiefs who managed to heat up play on field and emerged victorious with a fought 10-6 win in this defensive showdown.
NFC Championship Game: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers, January 20, 2008
Rounding out our top five is none other than the NFC Championship game in 2008 between New York Giants and Green Bay Packers. The game took place at Lambeau Field, where temperatures dropped to a teeth-rattling -4 degrees and with the wind chill it felt like -24 degrees. In a thrilling overtime contest, New York beat Green Bay 23-20 to reach the Super Bowl.
The cold’s impact on NFL games
What makes these games truly legendary is not just the freezing temperatures but how the conditions impacted the play, and, sometimes, the outcome. Frigid temperatures present mental and physical challenges for players impacting everything from their grip on the ball to their stamina. It transforms the football into a rock making catching and kicking difficult tasks. However, despite these challenges, these games have given rise to some of the greatest moments in NFL history.
Whether it’s Gaha Field at Arrowhead Stadium, or in Buffalo where it’s going to be 20 degrees with two feet of snow this weekend, cold weather and the NFL are part of the league’s deep history and will be yet again this playoff season.