NFL Analysis

7/15/24

10 min read

Ranking the Top 10 Worst Weather Games in NFL History

By Marcus Mosher

Dec 10, 2017; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs past Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (52) in a snow storm during the first half at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Football is just more fun when the weather plays a big part in a game. It helps produce some of the most memorable moments in NFL history, such as The Tuck Rule Game or the Leon Lett blunder on Thanksgiving. But what is the worst weather game in league history? Here is our breakdown from No. 10 to No. 1.

10. The Pickle Juice Game (Eagles-Cowboys, 2000)

The Week 1 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in 2000 will be remembered for a variety of reasons, including Andy Reid starting the game off with an onside kick. Cowboys’ fans remember it for a different reason as newly acquired receiver Joey Galloway, who the team traded two first-round picks for, tore his ACL in the opening game of the season.

But the reason why this game makes the list is due to the extreme heat in Dallas. The temperature in the stadium reached 109 degrees, but the middle of the field (opening of the doom) reached 130 degrees. It is still the hottest game ever recorded in Texas, but the Eagles found a way to combat the heat by drinking pickle juice to stay hydrated.

The Eagles went on to demolish the Cowboys, 41-14, in one of the weirdest opening games you’ll ever see. There aren’t many games in NFL history that were played in hotter conditions than this NFC Matchup nearly 25 years ago.

9. The Dolphins and Steelers Play In a Monsoon

The Dolphins and the Steelers played in one of the sloppiest games you will ever see back in 2007 on Monday Night Football. The Steelers share their field with the Pittsburgh Panthers, along with several high school fields. The sod on the field was replaced the Sunday before the game, but a sudden rainstorm turned the field into a muddy, lumpy mess.

Just how detrimental were the wind, rain, and field conditions in this matchup? The final score was 3-0, with the Steelers kicking a game-winning field goal from 24 yards out with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The two teams combined for just 22 first downs and 375 total yards of offense. At one point, a ball that was punted “plugged” into the middle of the field, which was quite the site to see.

8. The Flood Bowl (Seahawks-Chiefs, 1998)

Most of the games on this list deal with extreme cold or snow, but the 1998 matchup between the Seahawks and Chiefs was one of the wettest games in NFL history. The two teams played a Monday Night Football game in a Thunderstorm with an active Tornado Watch in Effect.

The first quarter of the game wasn’t terrible, but the storm really kicked up in the second quarter. There was standing water all over the field and at one point in the game, the water was ankle-deep for the players. Water from the stands poured down into the field, creating a mess for the NFL.

The league paused the game until the field conditions were more suitable. The game eventually resumed, with the Chiefs winning, but it remains one of the worst weather games in NFL history.

7. The Windiest Game In NFL History (49ers-Bears, 2005)

Chicago is known as the Windy City, but we’ve never seen anything like the matchup between the 49ers and the Bears in 2005. The game featured steady 27 mph winds, but there were recorded gusts of over 47 mph at certain times in the action. It made for some incredible moments, including this missed field goal by Robbie Gould:

The two teams combined to complete nine passes for 95 yards on 27 attempts. In fact, the 49ers completed just one pass (on 13 attempts) for 28 yards during the entire game! There were only 21 first downs in the game, and the most notable play from the game was on another Gould miss, where Nathan Vasher returned the missed FG 108 yards for the only touchdown of the game. At the time, that was the longest touchdown in NFL history and brought some joy in one of the ugliest games you will ever see.

6. The Mud Bowl (Vikings-Rams, 1977)

It certainly isn’t unusual to see bad-weather games being played in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, or Chicago. But it is strange to have one in Los Angeles. But that was the case during the 1977 NFC Divisional Game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams. Rain started to fall in LA, ending a two-year drought. But once the rain started, it didn’t stop.

The field wasn’t ready to handle that much water and it turned into mud. Chunks of sod came up with every move and by the second half, it was hard to tell the players apart from one another as they were covered from head to toe in mud.

The Rams were the much better team entering this matchup, but the Vikings were much more accustomed to playing in poor weather and pulled off the upset to advance to the NFC Championship Round.

5. The Snow Bowl (Colts-Bills, 2017)

The Bills have a number of bad-weather games that can be included in this list, but let’s go with the 2017 matchup against the Colts. On the day of the game, 17 inches of snow fell from the sky on Orchard Park, including nine inches during the game, making it impossible for the grounds crew to keep up.

Weirdly enough, Adam Vinatieri had a chance to win the game on a 43-yard field goal with just six seconds left. Given all of his great kicks in bad weather, it was truly a shock to see him miss a kick that close, especially considering he had just made an extra point from the same distance just minutes before.  But that just goes to show how poor the weather conditions were in that game.

It’s worth noting that LeSean McCoy had a huge day, running for 156 yards and a touchdown. And this won’t be the only time a notable McCoy performance in the snow shows up on our list.

4. The Blizzard Bowl (Lions-Eagles, 2013)

Every kid who has ever played football has always wondered what playing a game in the snow would be like. But with so many teams playing in domes or in nice weather, we rarely see snow games in the NFL anymore. But the 2013 matchup between the Lions and the Eagles was one of the most fun games you will ever see. The best image from this game came on a catch by Calvin Johnson, who dove in the snow for the reception. Here is what he looked like after the catch:

Eight inches of snow fell during the game and windy conditions made it nearly impossible to see. The conditions did lighten up as the game went on, but it was still impossible to see for anyone close to the field. What made this game special was that both the Lions and the Eagles were in the thick of the playoff hunt, making the contest even more important. It’s also worth noting that LeSean McCoy ran for 217 yards and scored two touchdowns in the snow. Pretty good performance by Shady.

3. The Fog Bowl (1988 NFC Divisional Playoff Game)

The 1988 NFC Divisional Game between the Eagles and the Bears was set to be one of the best in NFL history. Seven future Hall of Famers played in this game and both sides had legendary coaches on the sideline (Buddy Ryan, Mike Ditka). Unfortunately, hardly anyone got to watch this game due to a thick fog that covered the entire stadium.

According to several sideline reports throughout the game, the visibility on the field was just 15-20 yards, meaning that no one in the stands or watching at home could see the game. Here is an example of what most viewers at home saw during the game:

By the second half of this game, the fog was so dense that it rendered the passing game useless. Both teams refused to throw the ball and relied on their ground attacks to move the chains. The head referee, Jim Tunney, actually had to announce the down and distance over his microphone before each play because neither team could see the chains from the middle of the field. The Bears eventually won the game 20-12 but lost to the 49ers the following week in the NFC Championship Game.

2. The Freezer Bowl (1981 AFC Championship Game)

Whenever a game earns a nickname like “The Freezer Bowl,” you know it is unique—and blistering cold. That was certainly the case for the AFC Championship Game between the Chargers and the Bengals. This game featured two of the top offenses in the NFL, but the extreme cold dampened their output.

The air temperature for this contest was -9 degrees, but the wind chill made it feel like -59 degrees. Depending on the temperature reading that you use, this is widely considered one of, if not the coldest game in NFL history.

The wind played a huge factor in this game (27 mph wind gusts) as the Bengals (who won the toss) elected to kick the ball away to the Chargers at the start of each half. Neither team wanted to play into the wind and the Bengals were determined to get off to an early lead with the wind at their backs.

The Bengals eventually won the Freezer Bowl and advanced to the Super Bowl to face the 49ers. There have been several cold playoff games in NFL history, but this one is up there for being the coldest.

1. The Ice Bowl (1967 NFL Championship Game)

The 1967 NFL Championship Game featured the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers with the winner heading to the second-ever Super Bowl. But the real champion of the NFL came from this game as both the Cowboys and the Packers were significantly better teams than the AFL Champion Oakland Raiders.

Just how cold was The Ice Bowl? Well, the temperature at kickoff was -13, but the wind chill was -48 degrees. That remains the coldest game in NFL history and the field was a sheet of ice, hence the name. The wind blew steadily all game long, making it feel even colder than it actually was that day. And because it was so cold the previous days before the game, the field was as hard as a rock, making it nearly impossible to make a quick break or cut.

The Packers would go on to win the game after an impromptu quarterback sneak by Bart Starr from the one-yard line. Green Bay protected its home turf, beating Dallas and eventually winning the Super Bowl. Due to the ridiculous wind chill and field conditions, it will remain the worst weather game in NFL history.

Tags: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals See More

Marcus Mosher

Marcus Mosher is an NFL writer and analyst with a decade of experience in podcasting and writing for various NFL websites, including Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and The Athletic. He covers the NFL from a betting and fantasy perspective, producing written and video content. He is the host of the Locked On Cowboys Podcast and is a managing editor at USA Today Sports Media Group covering the Las Vegas Raiders. Marcus has been working full-time covering the NFL since 2015. 

RELATED