- The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Western New York
- The Bills and the Steelers play Sunday in Buffalo, with snow expected
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
The NFL wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers could be moved to Cleveland if lake effect weather prompts a declaration of a state of emergency in Western New York.
On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for much of Western New York, including Orchard Park.
It will be in effect from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning and more than eight inches of snow is possible over the weekend, with winds possibly reaching 60 miles per hour.
And Pittsburgh’s KDKA Radio is now reporting that Browns stadium officials have already been notified of the proposed plan.
Cleveland Browns Stadium is located 200 miles southwest of Orchard Park, where the Bills play.
NFL wild-card game between Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers could be played in Cleveland
Cleveland Browns Stadium officials have been alerted in case the game has to be rescheduled
Moving away from Buffalo would be a big boost for TJ Watt and the rest of the Steelers
Buffalo is always at risk of snow games: pictured here under a blanket in December 2022
It would be a huge blow to Josh Allen and the Bills if they have to give up home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
But Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, who enter the game as underdogs, would love to see the game moved to a neutral site.
The report also predicts temperatures at the start could be in the low 20s, although it could feel 10 to 15 degrees colder with winds up to 40 mph.
“We’ve been through a lot of games here where, no pun intended, we’ve had to weather the storm like that, right,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said this week.
“It affects how you play the game, how you manage the game. So having that here is an extra dimension to our preparation.”
More to follow.