As we await kickoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys due to severe weather, it raises a peculiar question — can NFL games be cancelled due to weather?
While it remains to be seen if Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh will continue, it wouldn’t be the first time that a game has been postponed or cancelled due to weather conditions.
Can NFL Games Be Cancelled Due to Weather?
According to the NFL’s rulebook, the commissioner is technically empowered to terminate any game due to an emergency. According to rule No. 17, article No. 4, examples of emergency situations justifying the termination of a game include severely inclement weather, lightning, flooding, and power failure.
Severe weather has created plenty of interesting storylines in recent years across the NFL. While it’s rare for weather to completely cancel a game, there are several examples of games being rescheduled or relocated entirely.
The most recent instance was in early 2024, when Buffalo, New York was hit with a severe winter storm.
The NFL and New York state governor Kathy Hochul agreed to reschedule the Wild Card playoff game from Sunday, January 14 at 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 15.
In 2022, Buffalo was once again hit with several feet of snow. The NFL was forced to call an audible and relocate the game between the Bills and Cleveland Browns from Buffalo to Detroit, Michigan.
While it was certainly odd to see the Buffalo Bills “host” the Browns in Detroit, the NFL took the necessary measures to allow the game to eventually be played.
Three NFL Games Cancelled Since 1920
Since the NFL was founded in 1920, only three games have been cancelled due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. The only other situation where games were cancelled was due to an NFL players’ strike.
On December 10, 1933, a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Portsmouth Spartans was postponed due to heavy snow and poor attendance. The NFL eventually cancelled the game completely three days later and it would be the last game in Spartans’ history, as the team moved to Detroit and became the Lions in 1934.
On November 17, 1935, a game between the Boston Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles was postponed due to a mix of snow and rain. The game was postponed and never played again as both teams finished the regular season with just two wins apiece.
On January 2, 2023, a game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals was suspended after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field. It was the first NFL game to be suspended and not resume on the same day. The NFL officially announced the cancellation of the game three days later.