Yahoo Sports The Coldest NFL Game Ever Wasn't the One You're Seeing Pics Of
For over 100 years, the NFL has been a premiere stage for epic battles with nail-biting action. Some of the most memorable moments of the storied franchise have occurred when gritty players have fought for the win while also standing against a siege from the elements.
Sleet, snow and ice have rarely caused delay — the show must go on! — begging the question: What was the coldest NFL game ever?
The Chiefs in Kansas City were in the news earlier this 2024 season as a host of potentially the coldest game in the long history of the NFL. However, according to the weather data, they merely joined the middle of the pack of these freezing football games.
1. Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers, aka the Ice Bowl (1967)
The 1967 NFL Championship at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was the coldest game in NFL history. The game, which would later be nicknamed the Ice Bowl, featured the Green Bay Packers hosting the Dallas Cowboys in a classic showdown of two behemoth programs.
The temperature on this last day of the year reached a bone-chilling minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 25 degrees Celsius) and a wind chill of roughly 48 below. The Packers eked out a victory thanks to legendary quarterback Bart Starr's game-winning touchdown run with just 13 seconds remaining.
2. San Diego Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals, aka the Freezer Bowl (1982)
Although not as cold as the 1967 NFL Championship game in regards to temperature, the wind chill at Riverfront Stadium in the 1982 "Freezer Bowl" sure made it feel like the coldest game in NFL history from the fans' POV — especially for any diehard fans that made the trip from sunny California to support their San Diego Chargers.
The Cincinnati Bengals squared off against the San Diego Chargers in tundra-like conditions with a wind chill of almost 60 below. To the dismay of San Diego's fanbase, the Chargers struggled during the second half with four fumbles, resulting in a 27-7 loss and the Bengals moving on to the Super Bowl.
3. Minnesota Vikings vs. Seattle Seahawks (2016)
At the tail end of the 2015 season, the Minnesota Vikings hosted the first outdoor post-season game in 40 years for the historic TCF Bank Stadium (now Huntington Bank Stadium).
The game against the Seattle Seahawks represented the temperature on the field (minus 6 F, minus 21 C) as neither team could heat up.
Both teams took to the frozen ground but could only produce 19 combined points from a little over 400 rushing yards. The Seattle Seahawks came out on top — barely — winning 10-9 following a failed Vikings field goal.
4. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins (2024)
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins met in Kansas City for the wild card playoff game that would pave the way to the Chiefs' victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
Bundled in parkas and ski goggles, fans huddled together in the stands surrounding Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium in temperatures that dipped as low as minus 4 F (minus 20 C). The midwestern powerhouse outplayed their fair-weather Floridian opponents, winning the game 26-7.
5. New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers (2008)
As far as post-season matches go, the NFC Championship between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers was a game that would be one for the record books. In a battle of wills between two titans at the top of their game, the frigid face-off would decide the Super Bowl contenders.
Two of the all-time great passing duos — Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress for New York and Brett Favre and Donald Driver for Green Bay — ignited the frosty field in a subzero battle that reached temperatures as low as minus 1 F (minus 18 C).
The Giants ended up winning thanks to a field goal in overtime, making the final score 23-20.
6. Oakland Raiders vs. Buffalo Bills (1994)
The hardy "Bills Mafia" fanbase has seen their fair share of wild winter moments, but few could compare to the game against the Raiders in 1994.
Tailgaters in the parking lot swarmed to makeshift firepits like puffy-coated moths to stay warm as the AFC Championship game kicked off with 0-degree temperatures (Fahrenheit) and a wind chill of minus 32 F (minus 36 C).
7. Chicago Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1948)
According to weather reports, the "Philly Blizzard" game was not one of the coldest. However, a modern fan needs to consider the game in the context of its time.
That day saw the first televised broadcast of an NFL Championship. Players still wore minimal pads and leather helmets as they trudged through inches of snow.
Fans appeared with shovels to help clear the stands in exchange for free entry, and both teams were requested to leave their respective locker rooms to help the grounds crew move the heavy, snow-covered tarps before the game could kick off.
8. Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots, aka the Snowplow Game (1982)
That day in December 1982 was preceded by a night of heavy rain that froze the astroturf field at Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. A snowstorm covered the field as the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins kicked off, making conditions even more challenging.
In a game that remained scoreless late into the fourth quarter, the ground crew was forced to uncover the yard marks along the sidelines with a snow plow. As the Patriots neared field goal territory, they requested a snow plow to clear an area for the placekicker.
New England kicker John Smith's attempt split the uprights, resulting in a low-scoring 3-0 victory.
9. Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2013)
The Eagles faced off against the Lions in the 2013 "Blizzard Bowl." Unlike other wintery matchups on this list, fans were awarded an action-packed score fest as Coach Chip Kelly's high-octane offense caught fire in the fourth quarter to answer Detroit's Jeremy Ross' two kick return touchdowns.
According to the star running back for Philadelphia, LeSean McCoy, although the field conditions limited both teams to ground-heavy attacks, it forced their offensive line to stand their ground and give McCoy room to run across the tundra to seal a 34-20 comeback win.
10. Oakland Raiders cs. Pittsburg Steelers (1975)
Two of the most prominent programs of the "golden era" of the NFL, the Oakland Raiders and the Pittsburg Steelers, sought to settle a brewing rivalry during the 1975 AFC Championship game.
The field was just as icy as the relationship between the squads as two hard-nosed defenses battled in the trenches for the chance to continue their seasons and make it to the big show.
Although scrappy, the underdog Raiders were no match for the more established Steelers, and they failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities late in the game.
Icy field conditions were likely a factor, and the Raiders' legendary coach, John Madden, sparked controversy that the Steelers' facility management team had allowed the field to freeze over intentionally, leading to a 16-10 win for the favored team in black and yellow.
Now That's Sensible
The quarterback is arguably the most important position in football. They are typically the first offensive player to receive the football in an offensive snap and are, therefore, the primary leader and captain on a football field. But where does the name "quarterback" come from? In short, the name originates from their position in the traditional I-formation. This offensive formation comprises three players lined in a column behind the center who snaps the ball from the middle of the offensive line. The fullback is "fully back," then the closer running back is "half-back," leaving the "quarter-back" player to receive the snap and coordinate the offense.
Original article: The Coldest NFL Game Ever Wasn't the One You're Seeing Pics Of
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