When the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs last faced off, they met in November at Frankfurt Stadium in Germany when it was 54 degrees with wind and rain. Days out from a Dolphins vs Chiefs rematch, it appears we might have one of the coldest NFL playoff games ever.
Miami was hoping to avoid a trip to Kansas City, but a loss on Sunday Night Football to the Buffalo Bills wiped out a shot at the No. 2 seed. Instead, the Dolphins must now head to one of the most hostile stadiums in the NFL and the atmosphere may be even harsher than expected.
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The arrival of January brings colder weather and the first major winter storm of the season has arrived. While the Dolphins’ players have enjoyed the benefit of Miami’s climate for months, Kansas City could have something special in store for the Dolphins on Saturday.
According to The Weather Channel, the current forecast for the Chiefs’ game at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night has projected temperatures at -5 degrees with a 45 percent chance of snow. While there have been a few NFL playoff games that kicked off in sub-zero temperatures, the league has rarely seen the type of weather that the Chiefs and Dolphins could be playing through on Wild Card Weekend.
Coldest NFL playoff games
- 1967 – NFL Championship “Ice Bowl” – -13 in Green Bay
- 1982 – AFC Championship Game “Freezer Bowl ” – -9 in Cincinnati
- 2016 – NFC Wild Card Game – -6 degrees in Minnesota
It would be only the fourth time in the history of the NFL playoffs that two teams took the field when it was at least 5 degrees below zero.
While the Dolphins’ rushing attack is one of the best in the NFL when it comes to efficiency, Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could be greatly impacted by the sub-zero temperatures. Combine that with snow and 15 mph winds, it could be a difficult Saturday night for both offenses.
