Fans who will be attending this weekend’s AFC Championship between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots will need to bundle up. The weather in Denver Sunday afternoon is expected to be a high of 21 degrees and a low of 8 degrees, per weather.com.
The game starts at 3 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. local time, so the temperatures will be closer to the high. There is a 49% chance of snow, with one inch expected, and winds up to 12 miles per hour. Sunset will take place at 5:11 p.m., so players and fans should get sun for the entirety of the game, helping those cold temperatures feel a little less brutal.
There will be partly cloudy skies in the morning with occasional snow showers in the afternoon. The day is described as “very cold” by weather.com.
But how the weather will affect the game will be the bigger question for fans, as well as for other interested parties. A 12 mph wind may have a slight impact the passing or kicking game, however, that calculus changes if that’s combined with an active snow fall. Science tells us that as it gets colder the resistance increases, making it harder to have longer kicks. At the same time, Denver’s mile-high elevation does enable a kicked ball to travel a few yards further than one at sea level, assuming all other conditions are constant.
Former Patriots kicker and four-time Super Bowl champion Adam Vinatieri, who happens to be serving as New England’s honorary captain for the game, had many experiences with kicking in the cold. He has talked about the feeling of the ball changing due to cold weather.
When players get cold, their hands could become numb, meaning quarterbacks could have a harder time throwing. Holding on to the ball and blocking can also become more of a task.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has struggled with fumbles in the last two playoff games, with six in the wins. His ability to maintain control of the ball could be a big factor in which team makes it to Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Feb. 8.
The cold weather makes reaction times slower and changes the density of the air, which can impact the passing game.
In a 2024 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, the -4 temperature had visible impact. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a chunk of his helmet come off after a hit and the leading theory is it happened due to the cold weather. In the same game, coach Andy Reid’s mustache froze and water froze instantly.
Ways to combat the cold include layers and scuba suits, which is something former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady swore by. Players who prefer playing without sleeves may have a difficult decision to make. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is known to wear at most a sweatshirt and vest, even in cold games, but he too may need to switch up his typical look.
Hot chocolate and soup are typically available on the sidelines for these type of games to help on-field personnel warm up between plays. Heaters will also be on the sidelines.
Sometimes, cold weather can be an advantage for the home team, if they are playing a team from warm weather, but in this case, both squads are used to frigid temps.
Weather aide, the Patriots are 0-4 against the Broncos in the playoffs when the game is played in Denver. Then again, that last postseason meeting between these two teams was 10 years ago and so all of the key players are different.
The weather in the NFC Championship between the Seahawks and Rams in Seattle will be balmy by comparison. Sunday’s forecast at kickoff is expected to be sunny and 44 degrees with virtually no wind. It’ll will likely dip into the upper 30s during the second half, and the chance of rain is extremely low.
The AFC Championship will be broadcast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ at 3 p.m. ET and the NFC Championship can be seen on Fox at 6:30 p.m. ET.
