Some Chiefs and Dolphins fans, who endured record-cold playoff game, now facing amputations dilemma

Almost 70% of Chiefs fans who suffered frostbite had to undergo amputation.


Some Chiefs and Dolphins fans, who endured record-cold playoff game, now facing amputations dilemma

A fan shows a sign that reads Dolphins 'Don't Belong In The Snow' before an AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 13, 2024 (Image via IMAGO)

The Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Miami Dolphins on January 13th was the fourth coldest football game in NFL history. That doesn’t mean it can deter football-hungry fans from attending the game. While most of the local Kansas City faithful walked away witnessing a wild card win for the Chiefs, some of them weren’t so lucky to celebrate the victory.

It was chilly at Arrowhead Stadium. With -4 degrees at kickoff and a wind chill of -27 degrees during the game, the entire place was covered with snow. The stadium staff had managed to clean up enough of the constant fall of white to start the game, but the fans were feeling the effects of the cold on their bodies.

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According to the director, Dr. Megan Garcia of the Grossman Burn Center Medical, several Chiefs fans had suffered frostbite. Garcia revealed to FOX 4 that 70% of those unfortunate souls had to undergo amputation. And those who did not require amputation will have pain in the affected areas for the rest of their lives.

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It’s still a lifelong process. They’ll have sensitivity and pain for the rest of their lives and will always be more susceptible to frostbite in the future.
Garcia said

What’s interesting is that Garcia didn’t reveal the exact number of patients. This wasn’t the only bad news to rise from the snow-laden games of the NFL. Three Chiefs fans were found dead outside their friend’s house on Jan. 9.

The Bills delayed their game while the Chiefs played

Of course, the Chiefs taking on the Dolphins wasn’t the game scheduled to be played that weekend. The Buffalo Bills were to welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers at Orchard Park on Sunday at 1 p.m. E.T. But the weather was deemed too cold for a football game and was delayed one day.

Some Chiefs and Dolphins fans, who endured record-cold playoff game, now facing amputations dilemma
Kansas City Chiefs fan is covered in snow during an AFC West game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs on December 15, 2019, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City (Image via IMAGO)

But it wasn’t the chill that forced the move; rather, the immense amount of snow covering the Highmark Stadium didn’t leave much of a choice for New York Governor Kathy Hocul. They even asked for help from the locals to remove the snow because they were short on manpower.

While the Chiefs-Dolphins game went on as planned, the Bills waited a day to secure their passage to the divisional round, beating the Steelers. During the Chiefs game, Kansas City’s first responders received approximately 69 calls. 15 people had to be taken to the hospital, yet they played through it.

It was so cold that ice crystals were forming on Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s mustache. Fortunately for them, the Miami players weren’t used to playing in such weather, hence the poster, ‘Dolphins don’t belong in the snow.’

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