How Cold Is "Too Cold" To Play Football?

[Principled Man]

Will there ever come a time when the NFL postpones a football game because it's too cold?

 

Last Sunday's game in Minneapolis was pretty cold, but it could've been worse. This Sunday's forecast is a high of -7 and a low of -17.

 

Sub-zero games have been played, especially in places like Green Bay, but isn't there a limit to what the NFL will allow? I cannot see a game being played when it's -20 or colder.......

 

 

http://media.nj.com/star-ledger/photo/2012/01/10431616-standard.jpg

[Tick]

No such thing as too cold. They play no matter what!

-75 might be too cold

[Ancient Ways]

The solution is to not out teams in places where it might get too cold. Too cold would mean danger to me. What would make it likely for the players to be injured by it?

[J2112YYZ]

A number of games have been played in -20 or below. Including one here in Buffalo back in 1994 where it was zero degrees with a -32 wind chill.

 

Cincinnati and Green Bay have the two coldest games on record.

 

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/09000d5d824da7dd

[Crimsonmistymemory]

The only weather conditions that should stop a football game Tornado, Lightning, Hurricane...

[Babycat]

Wasn't it the Green Bay Packers vs The Minnesota Vikings, of which the temperature was -14°?

[laughedatbytime]

Wasn't it the Green Bay Packers vs The Minnesota Vikings, of which the temperature was -14°?

Green Bay-Dallas, 12/31/1967

[rocket ignites]

Anything above zero is nice weather...

[Principled Man]

A number of games have been played in -20 or below. Including one here in Buffalo back in 1994 where it was zero degrees with a -32 wind chill.

 

Cincinnati and Green Bay have the two coldest games on record.

 

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/09000d5d824da7dd

 

I was living in the Cincinnati area when the Bengals & Chargers played the AFC Championship game. The wind chill was absolutely brutal. That was the coldest winter I had ever seen......until I moved to Wisconsin!!

 

If/when the temperature sinks to -20 or lower (no wind chill), given today's NFL, I can see a game being postponed. The conference championship games would be the most likely, as there are two weeks between them and the Super Bowl. The League could postpone a game until the next day or even the following weekend if necessary.

[laughedatbytime]

A number of games have been played in -20 or below. Including one here in Buffalo back in 1994 where it was zero degrees with a -32 wind chill.

 

Cincinnati and Green Bay have the two coldest games on record.

 

http://www.nfl.com/p...9000d5d824da7dd

 

I was living in the Cincinnati area when the Bengals & Chargers played the AFC Championship game. The wind chill was absolutely brutal. That was the coldest winter I had ever seen......until I moved to Wisconsin!!

 

If/when the temperature sinks to -20 or lower (no wind chill), given today's NFL, I can see a game being postponed. The conference championship games would be the most likely, as there are two weeks between them and the Super Bowl. The League could postpone a game until the next day or even the following weekend if necessary.

I was in college about 150 miles to the north and west. It was just as brutal there. I know they've changed the wind chill formula but with the formula in place at the time it was actually lower for the SD-Cin game. The funny thing (not so funny to the Chargers at the time) was that it was the week after the game in Miami the previous week which went into two OTs (the hook and lateral game) and ended up with Kellen Winslow being carried off the field exhausted by five plus quarters in the heat.

[laughedatbytime]

Will there ever come a time when the NFL postpones a football game because it's too cold?

 

Last Sunday's game in Minneapolis was pretty cold, but it could've been worse. This Sunday's forecast is a high of -7 and a low of -17.

 

Sub-zero games have been played, especially in places like Green Bay, but isn't there a limit to what the NFL will allow? I cannot see a game being played when it's -20 or colder.......

 

 

http://media.nj.com/star-ledger/photo/2012/01/10431616-standard.jpg

Every time they showed Coughlin that game, it felt five degrees colder in our house.

[Principled Man]

A number of games have been played in -20 or below. Including one here in Buffalo back in 1994 where it was zero degrees with a -32 wind chill.

 

Cincinnati and Green Bay have the two coldest games on record.

 

http://www.nfl.com/p...9000d5d824da7dd

 

I was living in the Cincinnati area when the Bengals & Chargers played the AFC Championship game. The wind chill was absolutely brutal. That was the coldest winter I had ever seen......until I moved to Wisconsin!!

 

If/when the temperature sinks to -20 or lower (no wind chill), given today's NFL, I can see a game being postponed. The conference championship games would be the most likely, as there are two weeks between them and the Super Bowl. The League could postpone a game until the next day or even the following weekend if necessary.

I was in college about 150 miles to the north and west. It was just as brutal there. I know they've changed the wind chill formula but with the formula in place at the time it was actually lower for the SD-Cin game. The funny thing (not so funny to the Chargers at the time) was that it was the week after the game in Miami the previous week which went into two OTs (the hook and lateral game) and ended up with Kellen Winslow being carried off the field exhausted by five plus quarters in the heat.

 

And when the Bengal offense took the field, all the linemen came out in short sleeves - one of the best acts of intimidation EVER!! The Chargers had no chance......

[WorkingAllTheTime]

Cold weather games, especially those in wind, are brutal. The ball is so hard it feels like a stone. The hits feel more pronounced. You have a hard time grabbing anything either with your hands or arms because your limbs feel numb. The ground feels like concrete (although heated turf in NFL stadiums does alleviate some of that). Tears literally freeze to your eye. It. Absolutely. Sucks.

 

I don't envy any of those players.

 

Generally, I think the league would try not to postpone a cold weather game simply because they hype the cold weather games so much (the legacy of the Ice Bowl, I guess).

 

At the same time, I think PM has a valid question. At what point do they do something? In light of CTE and other player safety concerns, as some point playing in the cold no longer gets hyped as manly in the media. At some point it becomes hyped as a dangerous act. Layer in some concerns about fan safety in the cold and Roger will have to run is PR cost-benefit-analysis routine.

 

I can say that there is an odd subculture of people in the North who take pride in their ability to tolerate cold, but then take it to the extremes. I remember being at a game in Green Bay a few years ago and it was in the zero range. One of the beer vendors was wearing shorts.... and told everyone he always wears shorts no matter what because "he can handle the cold". A few folks in the stands basically worshiped his toughness. Dude, wearing shorts in zero degree weather does not make you manly, it makes you either crazy or stupid.... maybe crazy stupid!

[Principled Man]

I can say that there is an odd subculture of people in the North who take pride in their ability to tolerate cold, but then take it to the extremes. I remember being at a game in Green Bay a few years ago and it was in the zero range. One of the beer vendors was wearing shorts.... and told everyone he always wears shorts no matter what because "he can handle the cold". A few folks in the stands basically worshiped his toughness. Dude, wearing shorts in zero degree weather does not make you manly, it makes you either crazy or stupid.... maybe crazy stupid!

 

Yep, there is a percentage of people up here in Wisconsin/Minnesota who feel the need to show off their winter toughness.

 

I am not one of those people. For most of my 32 years up here in the Great White North, I've worked outside in the elements. I've learned to tolerate the cold, but I sure haven't learned to LIKE it ......

[Babycat]

Wasn't it the Green Bay Packers vs The Minnesota Vikings, of which the temperature was -14°?

Green Bay-Dallas, 12/31/1967

What about last week? I'm sure there was a game then.

[laughedatbytime]

Wasn't it the Green Bay Packers vs The Minnesota Vikings, of which the temperature was -14°?

Green Bay-Dallas, 12/31/1967

What about last week? I'm sure there was a game then.

That was the Seahawks vs Minnesota.

[John V]

No such thing as too cold. They play no matter what!

-75 might be too cold

 

If there is lightning within a certain distance from the field, the game is quickly stopped and everyone gets asked to take cover. The players return to the locker room.

I have never seen a game canceled for this reason, but something tells me I'm wrong on that?

Edited January 16, 2016 by John V

[Babycat]

Wasn't it the Green Bay Packers vs The Minnesota Vikings, of which the temperature was -14°?

Green Bay-Dallas, 12/31/1967

What about last week? I'm sure there was a game then.

That was the Seahawks vs Minnesota.

Blast! That's the one I meant....!

[Rick N. Backer]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

 

[laughedatbytime]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

They were still good enough to beat the Cheatriots without their "home field advantage."

[alphseeker]

When fans can't do this anymore:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/Screen-Shot-2016-01-10-at-2.10.57-PM_zps4bugefxz.png

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/packers-fan_zps4tdfdgra.jpg

[Rick N. Backer]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

They were still good enough to beat the Cheatriots without their "home field advantage."

 

I think it's great you get filled with pride over the results of meaningless games. I'm sure that's the result of so much experience for such a long time, but still. Even when the other team isn't really putting forward a serious effort, you still get excited.

 

Are "Fins" fans glad that it doesn't get cold in Tuscaloosa?

[laughedatbytime]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

They were still good enough to beat the Cheatriots without their "home field advantage."

 

I think it's great you get filled with pride over the results of meaningless games. I'm sure that's the result of so much experience for such a long time, but still. Even when the other team isn't really putting forward a serious effort, you still get excited.

 

Are "Fins" fans glad that it doesn't get cold in Tuscaloosa?

The Kraft Crime Syndicate has the home locker room in Denver bugged? Wow, I'm impressed.

[Rick N. Backer]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

They were still good enough to beat the Cheatriots without their "home field advantage."

 

I think it's great you get filled with pride over the results of meaningless games. I'm sure that's the result of so much experience for such a long time, but still. Even when the other team isn't really putting forward a serious effort, you still get excited.

 

Are "Fins" fans glad that it doesn't get cold in Tuscaloosa?

The Kraft Crime Syndicate has the home locker room in Denver bugged? Wow, I'm impressed.

 

Hey "Fins" fans, it's October 1. Time to bundle up. Thanks for a great pre-season. Don't forget to get your opening week champions t-shirts at the pro shop. See you next July.

[WorkingAllTheTime]

It really depends on the team. For example, the "Fins" stop playing football once we have anything less than 12 hours of daylight, and when the leaves in New England just begin to change color. Brrrr! Time to get under a blanket and sleep until training camp.

They were still good enough to beat the Cheatriots without their "home field advantage."

 

I think it's great you get filled with pride over the results of meaningless games. I'm sure that's the result of so much experience for such a long time, but still. Even when the other team isn't really putting forward a serious effort, you still get excited.

 

Are "Fins" fans glad that it doesn't get cold in Tuscaloosa?

The Kraft Crime Syndicate has the home locker room in Denver bugged? Wow, I'm impressed.

 

Hey "Fins" fans, it's October 1. Time to bundle up. Thanks for a great pre-season. Don't forget to get your opening week champions t-shirts at the pro shop. See you next July.

 

Not gonna lie.... these exchanges between you two love birds literally make me giggle. It's like watching an old married couple argue in a grocery store about whether or not to buy canned or frozen peas.

Edited January 18, 2016 by WorkingAllTheTime