Tony Dungy freezing in Kansas City awaiting Miami Dolphins-Chiefs AFC playoff game
The early returns are in from Kansas City and the predictions for near-record cold for an NFL game are spot on.
"I don't know if I've ever been at a a game this cold in my life," said former NFL coach/NBC analyst Tony Dungy on the weather conditions in Kansas City Saturday afternoon.
Fellow NBC analyst Rodney Harrison also weighed in on the weather and the field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“One thing to look for in pre-game warmups is how many layers do they have on, what types of shoes do they have on … ball security, slipping and sliding will be an issue," Harrison said. "I walked out on the field and it is as hard as a brick.”
Of course, Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, who used to play for the Chiefs, was spotted on the field in pre-game warmups with a short-sleeve T-shirt and a mask covering his face.
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The NFL earlier in the day shifted the Steelers-Bills game from Sunday to Monday afternoon because of the expected snow storm that was going to hit the upstate New York region and cause hazardous traveling conditions.
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Some fans took to social media to wonder why the Dolphins-Chiefs game also could not be moved. But the temperatures in Kansas City barely will reach the single digits on Monday and the wind-chill warning remains in effect through Tuesday. Plus there is a chance of snow showers on Monday.
The earliest the game could have been played under conditions that would have made much difference would have been Wednesday, but that's not practical because the winner of such a game would be at a massive disadvantage in the divisional round. Plus, travel on roads in Kansas City isn't as dangerous as in Buffalo.
The Weather Channel did a live report early Saturday afternoon during which hundreds of cars were lined up to enter the Arrowhead parking lots to begin tailgating. Meanwhile at the Marriott downtown, fans were overheard wondering how they could find slabs of cardboard, a valuable commodity for standing on during tailgate parties and possibly even for sitting on during the game.
About two hours before kickoff, the flags high atop Arrowhead were flapping in a stiff breeze. Down below, one Chiefs player was spotted warming up -- if that's the right word -- in shorts and a light, long-sleeved shirt. Most Dolphins players wore sweatpants and sweatshirts, plus gloves.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Below-zero temperatures for Miami Dolphins-Kansas City Chiefs AFC Wild Card
