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The Buffalo Bills were set to host the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Wild Card playoff round on January 14. However, a severe winter storm has changed things.
UPDATE: New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Saturday that the Steelers-Bills game will be postponed to Monday, January 15 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather, told The Athletic that Orchard Park “could get a foot of snow Saturday night, which would have to be moved before the game starts. Additionally, travel could still be difficult for fans attending the game.”
Before the game was moved, the Bills asked for help shoveling snow at Highmark Stadium. The team posted a hiring notice offering to pay fans $20 an hour and meals in exchange for their labor.
The notice read, “The Buffalo Bills and Jani-King are asking anyone age 18 and over (or under 18 with proper working papers) interested in shoveling snow inside the stadium to come to Highmark Stadium starting at 10:00 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday night) and be part of the team to get the venue ready for the hometown Bills Wildcard Playoff game vs. the Steelers!
“Shovelers can shovel snow throughout the night on Saturday into Sunday morning if needed. The rate of pay is $20 per hour. Complimentary food and breaks will be provided throughout the shifts in a comfortable warm area. Those interested in shoveling must have proper photo identification (driver’s license, state ID) to work.”
The job isn’t for the weary. The National Weather Service expects it to be 21 degree with wind gusts as high as 60 miles per hour. “Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.”
Rumors Swirled the NFL Might Change the Location for the Steelers-Bills Matchup
On January 11, rumored reports swirled that the Bills-Steelers game would likely have to be relocated due to the expected severe winter weather.
“We are monitoring conditions as we do for every game, but there have been no discussions about making a change to the game’s status,” said Brian McCarthy, vice president of communications for the NFL, per WGRZ on Thursday.
The Bills are no strangers to switching fields. Last season, a massive blizzard forced the Bills to play against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field in Detroit. As it stands, no location changes have been made for Sunday’s matchup.
News 4 Buffalo posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “While the overall snow totals are not extraordinary by Buffalo standards, high winds could create near-blizzard conditions in parts of the region. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a State of Emergency for Western New York. ”
The Bills Have a Huge Advantage Playing at Home in the Playoffs
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GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2023.
Inclement weather is nothing new for the Bills or their fans. While freezing temperatures and heavy winds aren’t fun, if the weather isn’t putting locals in danger, the location should stand. And that’s good news for the Bills.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 4-1 in playoff games at Highmark Stadium. Buffalo also plays better than most other teams inclement weather. The Athletic’s Tim Graham reported, “The Bills offense has been more productive than the average NFL team when it’s 32 degrees or colder — and arguably the best, considering the number of games.
“They’ve averaged 27.8 points, 6.9 points over the league average and more than any team that has played more than twice in icy conditions since [Sean] McDermott became coach.”
When asked about the weather, Allen didn’t seem stressed. “I mean, that’s playoff football I guess, right?” he told reporters on Wednesday. “And then, especially in the northeast, you know, this is two teams that are used to this type of weather and the game plans are gonna be probably slightly different than what we’re both used to, but again, it’s whoever can come out on Sunday and execute the best.”
Overall, Allen said expect both teams to throw less. “Typically… with weather like this, a game that both teams are going to run the ball and it’s going to be very possession-limited so we got to make these possessions count.”
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