On January 23rd, 2024, The Kansas City Chiefs played in a record-breaking game. Tens of thousands of fans can say that they witnessed the coldest game in GEHA at Arrowhead Stadium. Many fans also quickly learned how cold it would be watching the game. Reaching dangerously low temperatures, this game ended up being the 4th coldest game in NFL history. The official temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees. The wind gusts made it feel like -30 degrees out.
The Chiefs stadium allowed people to bring in cardboard to stand on, so fans’ feet wouldn’t get as cold. Fans were allowed to bring blankets as well. There were several warming stations and hot chocolate available to purchase. “I wore 4 layers on top, 4 on my bottoms, 2 pairs of gloves on, and 3 pairs of socks. Even with all that, I was still a little cold.” says junior Trevor Widener. Everyone was advised to dress very warmly, wear multiple layers of clothes, and cover all parts of their face and any skin that may be exposed to prevent frostbite. Despite this, the dangerously cold temperatures caused numerous health problems for fans who attended and did not dress appropriately. This resulted in first responders receiving at least 70 calls for hypothermia-related issues. While 15 people were taken to the hospitals in the area, with at least seven treated for hypothermia and three for frostbite symptoms.
Despite the freezing cold temperatures, the Kansas City Chiefs breeze through this game, winning 26-7. The next game they played was on January 21st, which was a tough matchup in the AFC divisional round against the Buffalo Bills. Even though the game was away, which was Patrick Mahomes’ first-ever away game in the playoffs, the Chiefs made their way through a tough game winning 27-24. Most recently, on January 28th, the Chiefs played on the road again in Baltimore. Against a tough Ravens defense, the Chiefs make their way through once again, winning 17-10, sending the team to the Superbowl on February 11th in Las Vegas.
