Thousands of fans endured record temperatures and wind chills to watch the Kansas City Chiefs host the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 NFL playoffs. Now, some of them face amputations following frostbite, according to Fox 4 News.
Dr. Megan L. Garcia, general surgeon at the Grossman Burn Center in Kansas City, told Fox 4 this week that 70 percent of the medical center’s patients referred for frostbite suffered during the January wild-card game are “advised to schedule amputations.” ” This comes a few months after Garcia said she had already seen dozens of patients frozen due to match conditions.
The Jan. 13 game began with a temperature of -4 degrees and a wind chill of -27 degrees at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, making the contest the fourth coldest on record in NFL history and the coldest of Chiefs history. Immediately after the match, reports indicated that at least 10 fans were hospitalized with frostbite or hypothermia.
NBC Sports noted in January that the NFL currently has no threshold for postponing or canceling games due to low temperatures.