The playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers will go on as scheduled Monday afternoon, despite heavy snow still covering the stands at Orchard Park.
The sun shone Monday at Highmark Stadium, where the green artificial turf had been cleared of snow but the stands were still covered in a white blanket about five hours before the storm-delayed AFC wild-card playoff game.
The remnants of the lake effect snow band, which dumped more than two feet of snow on the Bills’ home in suburban Orchard Park, moved north toward Buffalo, bringing a large crew of shovelers (volunteers paid $20 an hour) and a fleet of shovelers could find their place. tractors with front loaders to clear the facility.
Kickoff was set for 4:30 PM ET for a game originally scheduled to be played at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday when the strongest storm hit the region, much of it centered in Orchard Park.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in consultation with the NFL, postponed the game on Saturday due to public safety concerns.
The playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers will go on as scheduled
After a massive winter storm, deep snow is still covering the stands and walkways of Orchard Park
The Bills had posted a photo of the ominous scene at a bitterly cold Highmark Stadium earlier on Monday, which seemed to suggest the game was in doubt.
But new photos and footage from inside the stadium showed that while the pitch has been cleared and ready for matchday, it’s a different story in the stands, where huge piles of snow still dominate the rows of seats.
The Bills posted on X: “Our snow removal crews are working relentlessly to remove as much snow as possible before kickoff.
‘A reminder to all fans attending today’s match: please dress appropriately for the cold weather, including waterproof boots and trousers.’
Shovel crews have been clearing stadium seats, walkways and tunnels since Sunday, when snow fell at a rate of more than 2 inches per hour.
Crews worked overnight, with the Bills making a plea for more volunteers early Monday.
Workers rush to remove snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park before kickoff
The main roads leading to the stadium were cleared, with five-foot snowdrifts lining the roads after being plowed.
It was unclear whether crews would have enough time to clear the three decks of the 70,000-seat stadium in time for kickoff.
The National Weather Service forecast for Monday called for a chance of snow showers into the early afternoon, with a high of 18 degrees. Temperatures were expected to drop to 14 degrees, with winds of 13 to 26 km/h.
The Bills have announced they will operate a free shuttle bus due to restrictions on parking around the stadium due to the snow.
If the Bills win the game, they will host Travis Kelce and the Chiefs in the divisional round on Sunday night.
However, if the Steelers win, they will play the Chiefs in Kansas City on Saturday.