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Forecast: An 'arctic blast' could hit Kansas City for AFC championship game

Frank Schwab
NFL writer

The one thing lacking from a fun NFL season was the lack of an extreme weather game. We had some snow on the ground for Saturday’s divisional playoff game in Kansas City, but it was nothing too serious.

For Sunday’s AFC championship game, the last outdoor game for this NFL season, we might get some crazy weather.

According to the Associated Press, the National Weather Service projects “an arctic blast” will hit Kansas City on Sunday. The Chiefs will host the New England Patriots on Sunday in a game that will kick off at 5:40 p.m. Central time. It’s the first time Kansas City has hosted a conference championship game.

The AP reported that temperatures could be “well below zero” in the worst case.

Sunday could be coldest game in K.C. history

Kansas City has had a few frigid games. Two years ago, a Steelers-Chiefs playoff game was moved to prime time on Sunday to avoid a predicted ice storm earlier in the day.

The coldest game in Chiefs history is 1 degree, according to the Associated Press, which has happened twice. The AP said the temperatures could be as high as 10 degrees or it could be below zero on Sunday.

For two of the four highest scoring offenses in the NFL, it’s not exactly the best news. And it won’t get warmer as the game goes deeper into the night.

Neither QB has a lot of cold-weather experience

Practically everything is new to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in his first year as an NFL starter. But it’s worth pointing out that Mahomes was born, raised and went to college in Texas, where he didn’t experience too many arctic blasts.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has had some experience in brutally cold weather, but not much. The coldest game Brady has played in during his NFL career was 4 degrees for a 2003 divisional round playoff game against Tennessee, via NESN. Brady was 21-of-41 for 201 yards and a touchdown in a 17-14 win that day. Still, this could be a first for him and the Patriots, if the worst-case weather scenario happens.

The coldest game in Patriots history, according to Pro Football Reference, was 3 degrees at Pittsburgh in 1989. Brady has played in four games in which the temperature was less than 20.

The Patriots and Chiefs both have explosive offenses, but Sunday probably won’t be conducive to a lot of points. Forecasts can change over the course of a week, but it seems there’s a chance we might get Kansas City’s version of the “Ice Bowl” on Sunday.

There could be frigid temperatures for Sunday’s AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. (AP)
There could be frigid temperatures for Sunday’s AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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