Before the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills last Sunday, they prevailed against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 14 in the fourth coldest National Football League game ever.
With a kickoff temperature of minus 4 degrees and a wind chill of negative 20 degrees, it was so cold that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s mustache froze, and according to CBS News, 15 of the Wild Card game’s attendees were hospitalized.
UMKC junior and computer and electrical engineering major David Boots was not one of them. Along with his mom and brother, Boots braved the storm to cheer on the Chiefs.
“My brother and my mom are bigger fans of the Chiefs than I am,” Boots said, “but I chose not to shy away from an opportunity to feel a little bit of pain.”
Boots says he used five layers of clothing and the popular “Hot Hands” warming packets to stay warm.
Despite the initial bravery, Boots admits he wanted to go home after the second quarter because of how unbearable the cold became.
“There were a couple of times I thought I was going to die or lose fingers because of how cold it was, but I also knew the importance of sticking it out until the end of the game.”
Boots also said he probably could have stayed warmer had he gotten up and walked around, like his mom and brother recommended. He didn’t, and said the next day he felt sick and could barely move.
Despite the discomfort during and after the game, he says it was, “totally worth it,” and would do it again.
“The energy of the fans at this game was greater than anything I had seen at a sporting game, despite how cold and uncomfortable the weather was, and seeing their energy and excitement made it all worth it for me.”
The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens at 2:00 p.m. today. The game can be viewed on CBS.
Pastor Paul Springer • Jan 28, 2024 at 3:40 pm
Awesome job, Ben! Your communication skills are sharpening up!