During Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, heavy snow created difficult conditions that limited visibility for both teams.
The weather not only affected the players on the field but also made it challenging for viewers to see the yard lines on CBS’s broadcast. In response, the network added digital yard markers to enhance the viewing experience, though the effort drew criticism and reaction across the NFL community.
NFL World Reacts to Digitally Imposed Yard Lines on CBS’ Patriots-Broncos Broadcast
Instead of being praised for attempting to enhance the viewing experience, CBS faced significant criticism. Fantasy Life’s Ian Hartitz posted a picture of the lines with the caption, “Get these clear cgi yard lines off my television. I am outraged.”
Get these clear cgi yard lines off my television. I am outraged. pic.twitter.com/9KdxzAsQSm
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) January 25, 2026
The Awful Announcing page posted a video of the digital lines, highlighting the main reason for the criticism: Players disappeared as they ran through the digitally imposed lines.
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CBS is going with digital yard lines in the snow, and that’s only leading to more chaos with players disappearing. 🏈📺🌨️😵💫 #NFL pic.twitter.com/4jeg23tlHc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 25, 2026
It was the Patriots who suffered the most on the broadcast, as the digital overlay mixed poorly with their white jerseys. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro wrote, “CBS, while it is nice to see the yard lines, I’d prefer to still be able to see the Patriots.”
CBS, while it is nice to see the yard lines, I’d prefer to still be able to see the Patriots.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) January 25, 2026
St. Louis Public Radio’s Rob Edwards wrote, “I HATE the superimposed yardage lines. Please get rid of them. We generally know where the players are on the field. Players are disappearing behind the lines, it looks absurd. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. #DENvsNE”
I HATE the superimposed yardage lines. Please get rid of them. We generally know where the players are on the field.
Players are disappearing behind the lines, it looks absurd.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.#DENvsNE
— Rob Edwards (@RobertDEdwards) January 25, 2026
Barstool’s Ryan Whitney commented, “Get these AI snow lines off my TV,” followed by John McMullen, a Philadelphia Eagles insider for JAKIB Media, who added, “The fake yard lines are annoying. We can figure it out.”
SumerSports’ Lindsay Rhodes summed up the sentiment of many fans, saying, “Not sure the fake lines are adding and not subtracting from the viewing experience.”
Not sure the fake lines are adding and not subtracting from the viewing expereince
— Lindsay Rhodes (@lindsay_rhodes) January 25, 2026
After the backlash, CBS listened to viewers and removed the digitally altered lines from the broadcast. The game ended with the Patriots beating the Broncos 10-7 and advancing to the Super Bowl, where they will face either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks.
