The NFL playoffs are here, with the Wild Card round bringing six games of action to our televisions. Included in that is the Buffalo Bills hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers in what was expected to be a snowy showdown.
However, the game has been delayed until Monday at 4:30 p.m. E.T. Why is that the case?
Severe Weather Moves Bills vs. Steelers to Monday Afternoon
Buffalo, New York has been under the siege of a snowstorm throughout the week. Kickoff for this matchup was initially set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. E.T. The team even offered fans an opportunity to get paid to help shovel the snow inside the stadium.
However, conditions did not improve whatsoever. The city is now expected to receive two to three inches of snow per hour during the storm. In response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has implemented a full travel ban in Erie County, starting at 9 p.m. Saturday night, she shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul has just announced at a news conference that the #Bills vs. #Steelers game is postponed to Monday at 4:30 PM.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2024
Hochul shared that she had been in communication with commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the conditions. “In consultation with our emergency response teams, @BuffaloBills leadership, and the NFL, the Bills game will be postponed to 4:30 pm Monday,” Hochul said on X.
The Buffalo Bills released an official statement shortly after Hochul’s announcement, saying, “Due to public safety concerns in light of the ongoing weather emergency in western New York, Sunday’s Steelers-Bills game has been rescheduled to Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by CBS.
“The decision to move the game to Monday was made in consultation with New York Governor Kathy Hochul in the best interest of public safety, and with the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the region prepares for the storm.”
With the postponement, there will now be a double-header on Monday, with Bills vs. Steelers at 4:30 p.m. and Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8:15 p.m. Sunday will still feature two games — the Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions.
The last playoff game to be delayed also involved the Pittsburgh Steelers — the 2016 Divisional Round matchup between the Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs in K.C. was moved from 1:05 p.m. ET to 8:20 p.m. ET because of an ice storm.
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