In the chill of late‑season football, the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns are bracing for a showdown that may feel like a return to the Ice Bowl.
Week 15: Bears vs. Browns
As the NFL’s final stretch approaches, the Bears and Browns will face not only each other but a biting winter. NBC Chicago reports that the game‑time temperature will fall into the single digits, with wind chills expected to dip 10‑15 degrees below zero on Sunday in the Windy City. This forecast echoes the harsh conditions that have defined some of the league’s most memorable games.
The 1967 Ice Bowl
The coldest NFL game ever played took place on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1967, at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers faced the Dallas Cowboys in a temperature of minus‑13 degrees. A wind chill of minus‑48 degrees compounded the chill, earning the matchup the nickname “Ice Bowl.” The Packers emerged victorious, winning 21‑17 and securing their third straight NFL Championship.
The 1982 Freezer Bowl
Two decades later, the 1982 AFC Championship Game earned the moniker “Freezer Bowl.” On January 10, 1982, the San Diego Chargers traveled to the Cincinnati Bengals. The game‑time temperature was a bitter minus‑9 degrees, but the wind chill plummeted to minus‑59 degrees. The Bengals capitalized on the conditions, defeating the Chargers 26‑7 and earning their first ever Super Bowl appearance.
2016 Wild Card: Seahawks vs. Vikings
Fast forward to January 10, 2016, when the Seattle Seahawks visited the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. The kickoff temperature was minus‑6 degrees, with wind chills around minus‑25 degrees. The Vikings, who had left the Metropolitan Stadium in 1981 and had since played indoors at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and later U.S. Bank Stadium, found the outdoor conditions unforgiving. The game ended 10‑9 in favor of the Seahawks after Blair Walsh missed a 27‑yard field goal in the final seconds.
2008 NFC Championship: Giants vs. Packers
The New York Giants met the Green Bay Packers on January 20, 2008, in a game that would become the second‑coldest in NFL history. The game‑time temperature was minus‑4 degrees, and wind chills felt like minus‑24 degrees. The Giants pulled off a dramatic overtime field‑goal win, and the victory set the stage for their Super Bowl XLII triumph over the then‑undefeated New England Patriots.
1972 Regular Season: Packers vs. Vikings
The fifth‑coldest game on record occurred on December 10, 1972, at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium. The Green Bay Packers hosted the Minnesota Vikings in a game‑time temperature of 0 degrees. Wind chills of minus‑18 degrees made the field icy. The Packers won 23‑7, a result that added to the storied rivalry between the two teams.
The Vikings’ Indoor Shift
After the 1981 season, the Vikings moved out of the Metropolitan Stadium. For more than four decades, they played indoors at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2013, and since 2016 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The 2016 wild‑card game at TCF Bank Stadium was the last outdoor contest for the Vikings, highlighting how the team has come to appreciate indoor venues.
Entertainment on Sunday Night Football
The 13th consecutive NFL season will feature a multi‑platinum, Grammy‑Award‑winning singer as the star of the musical show opening for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This long‑running tradition adds a cultural touchstone to the televised games.
Key Takeaways
- The Bears‑Browns Week 15 matchup may see temperatures in the single digits with wind chills below zero.
- The Ice Bowl (1967) remains the coldest game, with a minus‑48‑degree wind chill.
- The Freezer Bowl (1982) and the 2008 NFC Championship are the second and fourth coldest games.
- The Vikings’ 2016 wild‑card game was the last outdoor game for the franchise.
- Sunday Night Football’s opening musical show continues to feature a Grammy‑winning performer.
In a season where the elements can be as much a factor as the players, the Bears and Browns will have to adapt to a historic level of cold. The legacy of the Ice Bowl, the Freezer Bowl, and other frigid matchups reminds fans that the NFL’s most dramatic moments often unfold under the most unforgiving skies.
