Bills fans are being told to dress appropriately for the Wild Card battle against the Steelers because snow is still in the seats.
The storm that hit the Buffalo area has passed, so Highmark Stadium has become ready for some winter football on Monday afternoon. At least the grass is clear.
Since Sunday, huge snow clearance teams have worked nonstop to get rid of as much snow as possible from the stadium, especially from the field. The Buffalo Bills thanked them.
In great shape, the grass at Highmark looked great before the Wild Card Round game with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Still, there is snow on the stands, which means the Bills announced fans who are making the long trip to see their beloved team.
“A reminder for all fans attending the modern game, please dress properly for the cold weather such as waterproof boots as well as pants,” the Bills wrote on X.
Fans like these are among the most dedicated in the NFL, consequently, the snow shouldn’t stop them from coming.
People from Buffalo are used to seeing snow in the stands, though. There have been many games this season, especially now, that had to be played through snow.
The storm that pushed the Buffalo Bills, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers wild-card playoff game to Monday, could be seen all over the stands, where many fans had to dig through snow to get to their places.
The playing field and parking lots were both clear of snow, but fans could take a bus to get to the game if they wanted to.
When the stadium opened to people at 2:30 p.m. ET, most of the seats were still covered in snow.
However, most of the walkways were clear, which became the top priority when it became clear that all the snow wasn’t going to be able to be cleared from the seats.
Some fans used passenger service tools to get to their places, while others dug out the snow with pieces of cardboard. Some people walked via the snow to make a path in a certain row.
On some parts of each of the three decks within the stadium, snow was still there. As fans walked to their places, many of them started to clear the snow.
A lot of people sat on cardboard to keep their feet dry, but some fans stood when the game started.
Since there is still a lot of snow in the stands, it seems likely that snowballs will be thrown on the field throughout the game. It was said in the media box beforehand of the game that it would feel like 4 degrees.
There was sunshine or a blue sky over Highmark Stadium for a while before the game, but then the sky turned dark.
The National Weather Service says that gusts of up to 15 mph of wind and temperatures in the teens will make the game tough to watch.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick dressed up without sleeves, and Bills interim offensive player Joe Brady walked around the field in shorts as he always does.
By the time the teams went out for a warm-up, the artificial grass field was clear of snow. This was possible because a tarp had been put over the field during the storm, and tractors and other tools were utilized for removing any remaining snow before the game.
Over two feet of lake-effect snow fell in Orchard Park over the weekend. Because of this, the game was moved from Sunday at 1 p.m. ET to Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
On Sunday, some shovelers managed to walk to the stadium. But once traffic restrictions in the area were lifted, shovelers were prompted to make their way to the stadium on Sunday night and work with Bills staff to clear out the seats on Monday. They were paid $20 an hour to shovel.
Before their rescheduled wild-card game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buffalo Bills called for help getting rid of snow at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
The game was supposed to happen on Sunday afternoon, but bad weather forced it to be moved to Monday at 4:30 p.m. The Bills shared a video on Saturday that showed it being completely white inside the stadium.
“Our snow removal teams work relentlessly to clear as much weather as possible before kickoff,” the Buffalo Bills said on Monday.
“A reminder to all people attending today’s game, to attire appropriately for the cold air including waterproof boots as well as pants.”