Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a broken helmet during Saturday night’s grueling AFC wild-card game when he was hit by Miami Dolphins safety Deshaun Elliott. The leaders still won 26-7.
Game-time temperature Minus -4 degrees Fahrenheit, the game was the fourth-coldest in NFL history, and it was unclear whether the temperature made the shell of Mahomes’ helmet more fragile than usual. Regardless, the reigning league MVP was left with a fist-sized piece of plastic above his left eye after a helmet-to-helmet collision on a 13-yard scramble in Dolphins territory.
Rarely does a helmet fall off like this. But then again, it’s rarely below zero when a football game starts.
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Mahomes ran two more plays before officials had him get a backup helmet on the sideline. He threw another incomplete pass and Kansas City kicked a field goal on fourth down to take a 19-7 lead, and Mahomes passed his replacement’s helmet on the sideline in hopes of making Miami’s possession comfortable.
It was windy, gusting over 25 mph and driving the wind chill to a bone-chilling minus-27 degrees, making the weather miserable for everyone.
That included pop star Taylor Swift, who reunited to see her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
She should at least look out of a locked suite. Most fans huddled in parkas, ski goggles and ski pants, and players huddled around oasis-like heaters in the cold. The National Weather Service has issued a weather warning for dangerously cold weather that has blanketed the Midwest.
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Snowy winter weather has hit much of the United States, with New York Governor Cathy Hochul warning of a “dangerous storm.” As she announced The Buffalo Bills-Pittsburgh Steelers NFL playoff game has been postponed from Sunday to Monday. Residents of the county that includes Buffalo were told to stay off the roads starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, with 1 to 2 feet or more of snow forecast and winds up to 65 mph.