Where Chiefs-Dolphins Playoff Bout Ranks Among Coldest Games in NFL History

Author:
Tom Dierberger
Publish date:
Jan 13, 2024

In this story:

The Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs are embarking on a piece of bone-chilling NFL history on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.

When the game kicked off, the temperature in Kansas City stood well below freezing at -4°F.

One former NFL quarterback actually suggested the game should be postponed. But the game kicked off around 8:10 p.m. ET in front of thousands of bundled-up fans ready to watch playoff football.

Here’s where Saturday’s freezing wild-card clash ranks in NFL history:

1. ‘Ice Bowl’

Temperature: -13°F
Wind chill: -48°F

Lambeau Field earned its nickname as “The Frozen Tundra” during the 1967 NFL championship between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.

That didn’t stop more than 50,000 fans from showing up on New Year’s Eve to watch quarterback Bart Starr lead Green Bay to its third straight league title with a 21–17 win.

2. ‘Freezer Bowl’

Temperature: -9°F
Wind chill: -59°F

In a matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers in the 1981 AFC championship game, the wind emerged as the game’s biggest star.

Winds blew up to 30 miles per hour during the game, producing wind chills that nearly reached -60°F. The Bengals fought through the conditions and won 27–7.

3. Wide Left

Temperature: -6°F
Wind chill: -25°F

The Minnesota Vikings hosted the Seattle Seahawks at TCF Bank Stadium on Jan. 10, 2016, their interim outdoor home while U.S. Bank Stadium was under construction.

Legendary coach Bud Grant, 88 years old at the time, walked out for the coin toss in -25°F wind chill wearing nothing but a short-sleeved polo shirt.

That moment was the story of the game until Vikings kicker Blair Walsh infamously missed a potential game-winning 27-yard field-goal attempt, sending it wide left in the final minute to send the Seahawks to the divisional round.

4. Frozen Tundra, Indeed

Temperature: -4°F
Wind chill: -24°F

Lambeau Field finds itself on this list yet again in the 2007 NFC championship game between the Packers and New York Giants.

Eli Manning and the underdog Giants braved the cold and sent Green Bay packing in overtime after defensive back Corey Webster intercepted Brett Favre’s errant pass.

The Giants secured a spot in Super Bowl XLII where they were big underdogs yet again against the undefeated New England Patriots. No chance they won that game, right? Right?