The NFL failed to take required safeguards this week when it chose Friday afternoon to retain the Buffalo Bills’ Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the original schedule.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league watched the weather prediction this week before informing both teams on Friday afternoon that they would play at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The weather in Western New York, on the other hand, was bad enough on Saturday for Governor Kathy Hochul to announce a travel ban that encompassed Buffalo. The Wild Card game has been postponed until Monday afternoon by Hochul, the Bills, and the league.
However, the travel prohibition remains in effect, which means that Pittsburgh fans flying from Pennsylvania with game tickets will be unable to arrive. There is strong justification for the travel prohibition, according to a video uploaded by Gov. Hochul’s account Sunday afternoon.
In Buffalo, the NFL put first responders in danger.
According to reports, the NFL may postpone the game until Tuesday. According to Mike Florio of the NFL, travel conditions are expected to be “messy” Monday following Sunday’s winter storm activity. Florio said that the league’s choice to retain the game in Buffalo puts first responders at risk:
Current view of downtown Buffalo. Looks like a pretty good day to not have a football game.
Please, stay home and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/PXwGxcMLk7
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 14, 2024
“The question isn’t whether it’s safe to play outside in the elements. The question is whether people can safely get to and from the game. And whether it makes sense to invest resources to rescuing individuals who attempt but fail to reach the destination. And whether it makes sense to endanger first responders who are attempting to assist folks who end themselves in a situation in which they need to be rescued.
This would be a possibility even if the Bills built a domed stadium.”
This game was completely ruined by the league. They were eager to dismiss reports that the game may be shifted to a neutral location, Cleveland, due to inclement weather. Instead, the league has produced a slew of issues, not only for local and state governments in Pennsylvania and New York, but also for the clubs themselves.
Because of the short turnaround time, the ultimate victor of the Bills/Steelers game will be at a competitive disadvantage when they play their opponent next week.
All of this might have been averted if the league had carefully monitored the situation and taken the difficult but ultimately correct decision to relocate the game to a city where fans’ and first responders’ lives were not jeopardized.
