Chargers will face Chiefs in sub-freezing temperatures, sub-zero wind possible

The Los Angeles Chargers are travelling to Kansas City this week to face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. This matchup will be the second meeting of 2025 between the AFC West rivals. The Chargers won the first meeting 27-21 to open the season in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The warm weather of Brazil will be a distant memory at kickoff at Arrowhead. The temperature at kickoff in Sao Paulo was in the high 60s. Sunday, with kickoff at noon local time, the temperatures are expected to be around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Local Kansas City meteorologist for ABC affiliate KMBC news Nick Bender posted a warning to fans attending the game on social media. Bender mentions to be prepared for the low temperatures and the possibility of wind chills down to minus 15 degrees the morning of the game.

🥶⚠️ Chiefs fans! Be prepared for one of, if not the, coldest games of 2025 so far. Wind chills Sunday morning will range from about -5 to -15 degrees. Temperatures at kickoff are expected to be in the upper teens, only climbing into the lower 20s during the game. @kmbc pic.twitter.com/fwyqJgsUIW
— Nick Bender (@NickBenderKMBC) December 11, 2025

Chargers adjustments

The Chargers have already started their practices this week significantly earlier to prepare for the early kickoff. The Chargers have struggled when traveling and playing in the early window this season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh adjusted the team's practice schedule this week after getting suggestions from experts at UCLA.

It looks like the #Chargers are trying to shake out of the funk of these early window kickoffs when traveling East.
Jim Harbaugh says they practiced earlier to prepare and says "we're always looking for a suggestion that will help us, we thought that was a good one." pic.twitter.com/iVzIL3xdAA
— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) December 12, 2025

The early morning preparations may help with the timing and rhythm of the player's performance routines. There is nothing they can do to prepare for the cold weather.

Harbaugh has significant experience playing in cold weather. He grew up dealing with winters in Ohio, Iowa and Michigan. When asked about the coldest game he has ever been apart of, Harbaugh mentioned the 1989 NFC Championship at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game recorded wind chill down to negative 26 degrees.

Jim Harbaugh on cold weather in KC on Sunday: "Your body is like a human hot tub."

He says the coldest game he ever played in was the -50 deg. wind chill 1989 NFC title game in Chicago: "Wind chill factor. You guys from California don't know anything about wind chill factor." pic.twitter.com/yGgMfvI255
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) December 12, 2025

Cold weather game plan

The Chargers do not have a way to simulate the weather they are going to play in. The temperature in El Segundo, where the Chargers practice, has an overnight low temperature of 54 degrees and a daytime high of 65 degrees on Friday.

Jim Harbaugh mentioned during his media availability that the players are young and making sure to stay moving, in his experience, is very important. They will also have heated benches on the sidelines.

The forecast appears to be pointing to a cold but clear and sunny game. No snow in forecast helps the Chargers offense. The Chargers offense in 2025 has a 55/45 split for pass plays versus run plays.

The cold weather may make offensive production more of a premium. Writer at the Athletic Jake Ciely, broke down how the elements affect offensive production in the NFL. He notes the three contributing factors where the weather has an impact on the passing game. Wind, temperature and precipitation are the factors that can have an impact.

NFL offensive production dips slightly when the wind is over 15 miles per hour and more significantly when it goes over 25 miles per hour. Temperature becomes factor on offense when it dips below 35 degrees. Rain and snow is a strong contributing factor for dips in production.

The Chargers will luckily be facing only one of the three factors at Arrowhead on Sunday, the cold. Temperatures below 35 degrees see a drop across the board in offensive production, specifically the passing game. Completion percentages drop 3 percent from an average of 63 percent down to 60 percent. Yards per attempt drop from 7.2 to 6.9.

Los Angeles will be best served by leaning into their run game. The Chargers are at relative full strength in the backfield with rookie running back Omarion Hampton returning from injured reserve and Kimani Vidal establishing himself as a capable starter.

The weather dictates that the passing attack will be less efficient on Sunday. Jim Harbaugh and Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman have used the term medieval regarding lineman, toughness or gameplans. For this game, it may be a good idea to lean into getting medieval.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Chargers from Los Angeles Chargers on SI —

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter

More Los Angeles Chargers News:

Chargers' Jim Harbaugh under fire for wrongly blaming players for struggles

NFL mock draft lets Chargers steal No. 1-rated player at position in 20s

Chargers respond to injuries and sign former Bengals draft pick

Chargers' Justin Herbert somehow behind an unknown RB and an injured QB in MVP race