Quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills’ first game in the NFL playoffs against QB Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers has been postponed.
“Due to public safety concerns in light of the ongoing weather emergency in western New York, Sunday’s Steelers-Bills game has been rescheduled to Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by CBS,” a statement shared via NFL’s X (formerly Twitter) page read on Saturday, January 13.
The Bills and the Steelers were supposed to face off in their Wild Card matchup on Sunday to kick off their appearances in the playoffs. The game was set to be held at the Bills’ Highmark Stadium in New York. Ahead of game day, weather forecasts predicted heavy snowfall could create unsafe traveling conditions.
“The decision to move the game to Monday was made in consultation with New York Governor Kathy Hochul in the best interest of public safety, and with the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the region prepares for the storm,” the NFL’s statement continued.
Hochul, 65, put out her own statement via X on Saturday, noting she was in “communication” with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the state’s emergency response team about the “dangerous conditions.”
“Travel is going to be extremely dangerous in Western New York this weekend,” Hochul added in a follow-up post. “We are implementing a full travel ban in Erie County starting at 9pm tonight.”
The NFL could also see weather affect the Kansas City Chiefs’ own Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs and Dolphins are scheduled to face off on Saturday in Missouri, with temperatures predicted to fall to 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I will be in the skybox and so it won’t be too cold [there]. But the windows will be open and I am in the first row, so it’s still cold,” Chiefs star Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna Kelce, told Extra of her plans to root for her son no matter the weather. “I have to have a blanket and I’ll have my winter coat on.”
The regular NFL season concluded on January 7, with a paired-down group of teams now eligible for the playoffs. The postseason games will determine which two squads will represent the AFC and the NFC, respectively, at the Super Bowl.
This year’s Super Bowl LVIII occurs on Sunday, February 11, at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The championship game will also feature a headlining performance by R&B superstar Usher.
