Ravens special teams coordinator makes crucial miscalculation about playing in Buffalo

Baltimore Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton made a mistake with his comments about the Bills’ field.

Bills offensive line slide in the snow in the end zone to celebrate James Cook's touchdown. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Someone within the Baltimore Ravens organization might have to tell their special teams coordinator Chris Horton about what it is like to play in Buffalo.

On Thursday, Horton shared his thoughts with the media on how his team will be handling the weather and the field conditions at Highmark Stadium on Sunday for the Ravens’ divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

“I just think when we go out there throughout the pregame, we’ll decide with Randy and things like that ‘okay what’s our line’ and things like that. ‘How far can we kick from?’ Like right now we really don’t know what the field conditions will be like. I know Buffalo, I think the field will be heated, right,?" said Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton. "So, it might not be as frozen as what’s outside right now so all those things can change and those things we will figure out when we get to Buffalo.”

Special teams coordinator Chris Horton on the field conditions in Buffalo: pic.twitter.com/K2GbcnwPmy

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 16, 2025

There’s just one problem with his statement: the field doesn’t get heated.

Buffalo is the only NFL city based in a cold area that doesn’t have a heated field. It’s one of the reasons why they still ask for volunteers to shovel around the stadium when it snows. Those volunteers usually get paid $20 an hour and receive hot drinks, food and shovels.

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; A general overall aerial view of a snow-covered Highmark Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The good news is that the Bills will have a heated field when their new stadium is built. That stadium will also have the world’s largest heated roof to handle the snow and cold in Buffalo. The stadium is expected to open for the 2026 season.

Bills players DaQuan Jones, Greg Rousseau and Quinton Jefferson. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not having a heated field will undoubtedly influence how the Ravens game plan against the Bills. This will be a significant advantage for Buffalo as the Bills have played plenty of games on the field. Josh Allen is 14-2 in games with a temperature under 32 degrees, so the Bills should be favored to win the game on Sunday.

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