See how people are trying to stay warm for Chiefs vs. Dolphins at frigid Arrowhead Stadium
Saturday night was a chilling night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City as record-low temperatures for the wild card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins had fans and players bundling up, hoping to get any semblance of warmth.
When the Dolphins and Chiefs kicked off Saturday evening, it was negative 4 degrees in Arrowhead Stadium, marking the fourth coldest kickoff temperature in NFL history. It feels even colder than that with a wind chill of negative 27, the third coldest kickoff wind chill ever, according to the Chiefs communications team.
With the freezing temperatures, those who filled up the 76,416-seat stadium had to find anyway they could to stay warm, including the players. Here's how some Chiefs fans − and those playing on Saturday night − are dealing with the frigid temperatures at the playoff game:
Patrick Mahomes helmet chipped on hit
With the Chiefs leading 16-7 in the third quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled 13 yards to the Dolphins’ 3-yard line before he was stopped short of the end zone by Miami safety DeShon Elliott. Mahomes and Elliott bumped heads on the play, which subsequently cracked Mahomes' helmet.
Andy Reid's mustache freezes over
If you needed any evidence of how cold it is at Arrowhead Stadium, just look at Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's mustache, which turned into an icicle by halftime.
Taylor Swift is in the building
Taylor Swift, the rumored girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is shaking off the subzero temperatures at arrowhead Stadium with a red-and-yellow puffer coat featuring Kelce's name and No. 87 jersey number.
Her custom jacket was created by Kristin Juszczyk, the wife of 49ers’ All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Kristin Juszczyk has also created gear for Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, wife of Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens.
'In my frozen era'
Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes both rocked custom jackets created by @krisjuszczyk, wife of 49ers standout, at the Chiefs-Dolphins game ❄
🔗https://t.co/yJmInMXqVF pic.twitter.com/uvJzZ5QA7L— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) January 14, 2024
Taylor Swift arrives for playoff football. pic.twitter.com/aPeFXNueaE
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 14, 2024
Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa arrive bundled up
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he's "excited" for Saturday's subzero temperatures.
"What can be better. Playing football in January in Arrowhead Stadium is going to be cold,” Mahomes said. “The adrenaline rush gives you that warmness that you're seeking and you have heaters on the sideline. People make it a big deal, but at the end of the day, you just go out there and play football."
Ice cold 🧊 @PatrickMahomes #MIAvsKC — 8pm ET on Peacock
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/bTakd7vjlv pic.twitter.com/7eYJfEB8Jm— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2024
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, a Hawaii native who played his collegiate career in Alabama, said he's never been in temperatures "lower than 15 degrees." When asked how he prepared for the weather, Tagovailoa candidly said, "You can't prepare for a game like that with that kind of weather. So it will be new."
Tua is here
Entrance VIDEO
pic.twitter.com/cLjmRoxrUU— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 13, 2024
Fans arrive at Arrowhead Stadium at 5:30 a.m.
Some fans are deterred by the freezing temperatures in Kansas City.
Fans were already showing up to Arrowhead Stadium as early as 5:30 a.m., more than 13 hours before kickoff. KSHB 41 caught up with some fans and asked why they decided to show up so early, when temperatures were around negative 11 degrees, and a wind chill made it feel like negative 26 degrees.
“This is life…the good life.” Sue and Fernando Andrade got to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium around 5:30, some of the earliest tailgaters to arrive for tonight’s game pic.twitter.com/5f73Ac7hfD
— Rae Daniel (@RaeDanielTV) January 13, 2024
There was also a line for tailgating around 9 a.m.
It’s 9AM in KC and feels like -14 with the wind chill.
Here’s the line of #Chiefs fans waiting in line for tonight’s Wild Card playoff game vs the #Dolphins. pic.twitter.com/snh2vfrtfy— Kelli Peltier (@KelliPeltierTV) January 13, 2024
What does Arrowhead Stadium look like?
Arrowhead Stadium could be seen covered in snow from the field to the seats eight hours before kickoff.
The view of Arrowhead Stadium inside eight hours until kickoff. pic.twitter.com/VqAuVirzkZ
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 13, 2024
Getting ready for the action tonight! 😎 pic.twitter.com/De8412halL
— GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (@GEHAField) January 13, 2024
Contributing: Cydney Henderson, Chris Bumbaca
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chiefs vs. Dolphins weather: See how bad the freezing temperature is