NFL history
Famous NFL Snow Games, and What Snow Really Does to a Game
Snow games are the most memorable in football, but snow on its own changes less than wind does. Here are the famous ones, the rules that apply, and an honest view of what the data can and cannot say.
Quick answer
The NFL plays through snow. Games are only moved when getting to the stadium is unsafe, as with the Bills home games relocated to Detroit in 2014 and 2022. Heavy snow with wind lowers scoring by hurting passing and kicking; light snow in calm air often plays close to normal.
Famous NFL snow games
| Date | Game | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 1948 | 1948 Championship: NFL Championship: Cardinals at Eagles Played in a blizzard; the tarp had to be pulled off by players. | Shibe Park, Philadelphia | Eagles 7, Cardinals 0 |
| Dec 12, 1982 | Snowplow Game: Dolphins at Patriots A plow cleared a spot for the only score. | Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough | Patriots 3, Dolphins 0 |
| Jan 19, 2002 | Tuck Rule Game: AFC Divisional: Raiders at Patriots Last game at Foxboro Stadium; overtime kick in the snow. | Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough | Patriots 16, Raiders 13 (OT) |
| Dec 8, 2013 | Lions at Eagles LeSean McCoy ran for 217 yards in heavy snow. | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia | Eagles 34, Lions 20 |
| Dec 10, 2017 | Colts at Bills Lake-effect whiteout; field markings vanished. | New Era Field, Orchard Park | Bills 13, Colts 7 (OT) |
Games moved because of snow
November 2014: a lake-effect storm buried Orchard Park, and Jets at Bills was played at Ford Field in Detroit. November 2022: another lake-effect storm moved Browns at Bills to Detroit as well. In both cases the issue was safe travel and access, not the snow on the field.
The rules on snow
There is no rule that stops a game for snow or cold. Grounds crews clear yard lines and end zones during breaks, and officials can pause play for it. After the 1982 Snowplow Game the league banned clearing the field to help a specific play. Moving or postponing a game is the league office's decision, made for safety.
What snow does, and what our data can't say
Snow cuts grip and visibility, makes the ball slick, and pushes teams to run. When it comes with wind, deep passing and long field goals suffer most. Our own wind data shows games at 20 mph or more averaged about 7.6 fewer points than calm games, which is a larger, better-measured effect than anything we can attach to snow alone. See the windiest NFL stadiums.
We checked our 2006-2026 game database for snow games. It records how much precipitation fell at kickoff, not whether it was snow, and only around 43 games had precipitation near freezing. That is too few, and too uncertain, to publish a snow scoring number, so we don't.
Related
Sources
Game results from Pro Football Reference; relocations as announced by the NFL; wind figures from our NFL historical games database (ERA5 kickoff-hour weather, 2006-2025).
OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Independent data analysis on public sports and weather records. Studies match historical game outcomes to archived game-window weather, apply pre-set sample and significance rules, and publish null results when that is what the data show. Editorial policy and corrections log.
Frequently asked
Has an NFL game ever been cancelled because of snow?
Not cancelled, but moved. In 2014 a lake-effect storm forced Jets at Bills to Ford Field in Detroit, and in 2022 Browns at Bills was moved to Detroit for the same reason. The league moves or reschedules games when getting to the stadium is unsafe; it does not stop games simply because it is snowing.
Does snow make NFL games lower scoring?
Heavy snow with wind usually does, because passing and kicking get harder. Light snow in still air often plays close to normal. Some snow games have been high scoring, such as the 2013 Lions at Eagles game that finished 34-20.
Who clears the lines in a snow game?
Stadium grounds crews clear the yard lines and end zones during breaks in play, often with brooms, blowers or small plows. Officials can pause the game so markings can be cleared.
What was the Snowplow Game?
A December 1982 game in which the Patriots beat the Dolphins 3-0. A plow driver cleared a spot on the snowy field for the winning field goal, and the NFL later banned that kind of help.
Why don't you publish a snow scoring number?
Our weather records measure precipitation, not whether it fell as snow. Treating cold precipitation as snow would mislabel games, so we do not publish a snow-only scoring figure until we have a reliable snow record.