Soccer, frostbite and a ‘borderline inhumane’ NFL playoff evening

IN THE GRIPS of a polar vortex in Kansas Metropolis final winter, Matthew Maddux obtained a suggestion the lifelong Chiefs fan could not refuse: one free ticket to hitch his buddy for the wild-card recreation in opposition to the Miami Dolphins. The forecast referred to as for dangerously chilly climate, so Maddux did every part he might to organize. He placed on ski gear, layers of sweatshirts, boots, a shawl, hat and a pair of thick gloves. He even purchased electrical hand heaters on-line. Maddux sat within the higher bowl, vacillating between elation and distress.

Wind chills reached minus 27, and the air temperature dipped to 4 beneath zero because the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs received 26-7. On the journey residence, Maddux observed one thing wasn’t proper. He peeled off his gloves and his proper hand was ice chilly. He took a protracted, sizzling bathtub when he received residence, however couldn’t heat up his hand. Because the evening progressed, it swelled and throbbed with a lot ache he could not sleep. The following morning, it began blistering, so he went to pressing care and was despatched to the College of Kansas Well being System’s burn unit, the place he underwent a rigorous therapy to save lots of his fingers from frostbite.

“It feels such as you’re getting burned from the within out,” Maddux stated.

Maddux, 32, was one in every of dozens of individuals across the Kansas Metropolis space who felt the aftereffects of Jan. 13, 2024, the evening of the fourth-coldest recreation in NFL historical past. Dolphins offensive sort out Terron Armstead referred to as the circumstances “borderline inhumane.” A military officer who had undergone coaching for chilly climate attended the sport and stated it appeared “irresponsible” for the NFL to permit it to be performed. League officers stated they did their due diligence within the days main as much as the sport. However because the playoffs head into the divisional spherical this weekend with video games scheduled for cold-weather outside stadiums in Kansas Metropolis, Buffalo and Philadelphia, followers and gamers would possibly profit from the experiences of that evening one 12 months in the past.

Fifteen individuals who attended the sport have been taken to a hospital due to the chilly climate, in keeping with the Kansas Metropolis Fireplace Division. Practically two months after the sport, reviews surfaced that some followers who attended the sport confronted amputations. The story went viral.

The NFL has no minimal or most temperature at which video games shall be canceled. NFL chief administrative officer Daybreak Aponte stated the league’s medical consultants weighed whether or not the sport might be performed safely, and discussions with native authorities in Kansas Metropolis led to the ultimate resolution. The league stated it was not conscious of any extreme accidents associated to attendance on the recreation, in keeping with NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, and heard nothing to substantiate reviews of potential amputations. McCarthy stated one other consideration main as much as the sport was that Kansas Metropolis followers dwell and play in excessive temperatures, “in order that they’re accustomed to cold-weather video games and cold-weather actions.”

Maddux, for his half, does not query the NFL’s resolution to play that evening. He figures the league needed to adhere to a strict schedule, and the folks within the stands have been conscious of the dangers. He had no thought he’d be pressured to spend 5 days within the hospital or a protracted winter rehabbing. However he is aware of that with Mom Nature, issues can nonetheless go flawed even while you attempt to do every part proper.

“It is a playoff recreation,” Maddux stated. “I assume you may say all of us love a superb problem on the market, and simply being a part of the Arrowhead expertise. I imply, it is a one-of-a-kind place to go see a soccer recreation, a lot much less a playoff recreation like that.

“You need to be on the market to assist the staff. I simply wished to go do it, merely put.”

REGULARS CALLED IT “Beginner Night time” as a result of some folks within the stands did not appear to know easy methods to costume for a January soccer recreation.

“I noticed a child in cowboy boots,” longtime season-ticket holder Catherine Baskett-Cook dinner stated. “He did not have something between that concrete and his toes. So these are the folks the place you are going, ‘All proper, you sacrificed some extremities for this recreation.'”

For the common fan who does not typically get to see a recreation in particular person, a lot much less a playoff recreation, it was a singular alternative. Within the days main as much as the sport, ticket costs dipped as little as $30 (the most cost effective for Saturday’s divisional spherical is $158). Nearer to kickoff, a few of these wild-card seats have been free.

It was like no different recreation in Arrowhead Stadium historical past. Tailgates have been scaled down, or scrapped, to keep away from being outdoors too lengthy. Except you have been Taylor Swift or another person within the luxurious suites, there have been few locations to hunt refuge from the weather.

Beers sprouted from aluminum bottles like frozen fountains. Scorching candies froze within the time it took to get from the concession stand to the seats.

Season-ticket holder Annette Keeter retreated to the toilet to run heat water on her palms. However the water was caught on chilly.

“Folks have been attempting to go to the warming stations,” Keeter stated. “The issue with these was that while you went to the warming station, it was so chilly that they actually weren’t placing out any warmth themselves.”

However Keeter and Baskett-Cook dinner have been professionals at this. They layered up and introduced cardboard to slip beneath their toes to guard them from the chilly floor. They wore ski goggles and tried to cowl each inch of pores and skin. Keeter’s husband, Jason Johnson, forgot his goggles, which precipitated his eyelashes to frost. When he touched them, she stated, the eyelashes fell off.

They stayed, regardless of their discomfort, regardless of hundreds of thousands of pixels that make modern-day residence viewing really feel as in case you’re within the huddle with Travis Kelce. They could not depart.

“Any given Sunday, something can occur,” Keeter stated. “I simply at all times really feel like I’ve to be there to root on my staff. When that clock hits zero, that is when the sport’s over.”

Josh Stazen traveled 1,300 miles from his residence in Key West, Florida, that Saturday, buoyed by low-cost tickets and the love of his staff. A local of the Kansas Metropolis space, Stazen prides himself on dealing with the chilly. He wearing duck-hunting gear and stated he felt “comfy” all through the sport. However within the fourth quarter, after a protracted spell and not using a Chiefs landing, Stazen wished to rally the staff. So he set free a yell.

“Tarps off, boys!”

Stazen and his mates ripped off their coats and their shirts. A few half dozen of them stood bare-chested. Stazen estimated they have been shirtless for perhaps two minutes.

One in every of his mates, Shawn Larson, regarded on the timestamps on pictures and stated it was really 5 minutes. Stazen, who stated he did not drink a lot that evening as a result of he wished to recollect the sport, felt a pins-and-needles sensation on his uncovered pores and skin; Larson, who was consuming, stated he felt numb.

“While you get actually chilly and type of get numb while you heat again up, if it simply goes again to regular, nothing occurred,” stated Dr. James Miner, head of emergency medication on the College of Minnesota Medical College and a doctor at Hennepin County Medical Middle. “As you heat again up, if it type of actually, actually begins to harm because it warms up, and it will flip purple for a second after which it turns pink and aches and it will possibly harm for a short while — normally no more than a half hour, hour — that we name frostnip.”

Miner described frostbite as when “your pores and skin and tissue beneath it simply freeze. Most of your physique’s product of water — like 60% water.”

The introduced attendance was 71,492, however close to the top of the sport, the stadium appeared half-full. Isiah Pacheco’s 3-yard landing run with simply over 11 minutes left within the recreation gave many Chiefs followers the arrogance to depart with a 26-7 lead.

Battalion chief Michael Hopkins stated the Kansas Metropolis Fireplace Division had 69 affected person contacts at Arrowhead Stadium, with 15 taken to the hospital. Seven folks had hypothermia signs, he stated, and three had frostbite signs.

Weeks after the sport, a Kansas Metropolis TV station reported that 70% of the sufferers on the Grossman Burn Middle at Analysis Medical Middle who have been referred for frostbite accidents through the January chilly snap have been being suggested to schedule amputations. The station reported nearly all of these sufferers attended the Dolphins-Chiefs recreation.

The story went viral, with headlines that stated many Chiefs followers wanted amputations. In correspondence lately shared with ESPN by The Related Press, a spokesperson for the hospital informed the AP that info within the native TV report wasn’t correct. It included a press release from Dr. Megan Garcia, medical director on the Grossman Burn Middle, saying the middle handled practically 30 sufferers and several other others of their outpatient clinic through the 11-day chilly spell. “So far,” the assertion to the AP learn, “12 sufferers have undergone amputation(s) surgical procedures primarily impacting fingers and toes. A few of these sufferers attended the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins recreation on Jan. 13.”

ESPN made a number of requests to Analysis Medical to talk with Garcia and for updates on these numbers. A spokesperson for the hospital stated in an e-mail that Garcia was “not obtainable or fascinated about discussing this subject additional, because it was extensively lined final 12 months.”

DURING A BREAK within the motion that evening in January, Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler, waging a “psychological battle” by not sporting lengthy sleeves, approached umpire Ramon George and requested what number of layers he was sporting.

“Six,” George stated. “Two moist fits.”

Sieler lately informed ESPN he thinks he had frostbite for a few days, however he stated battling the weather was one of many issues he beloved about soccer whereas rising up.

“What you like and hate is you play via every part,” Sieler stated.

Even earlier than kickoff, it was obvious this wasn’t simply one other chilly recreation day.

“Throughout warmups, your sweat would begin to freeze in your hair,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie stated. “I’ve by no means had ice in my hair earlier than.”

McDuffie stated he thought the circumstances have been harmful, “however you already know nothing goes to alter, so you may’t enable your self to assume that approach. However you have been positively questioning, ‘What are we doing out right here?'”

Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams stated he wore surgical gloves beneath his traditional gloves. He additionally utilized Vaseline to uncovered areas “to attempt to block out a number of the wind and preserve it from piercing my pores and skin.” Williams, who stated a few of his teammates received frostnip through the recreation, added that if he needed to do it once more, he would possibly don a wetsuit beneath his uniform.

“That day in Kansas Metropolis was the worst circumstances I ever stepped foot in. It was completely different. It was borderline inhumane.”

Terron Armstead

The NFL made extra lodging for the sport, together with heated benches and different heating tools, heavy jackets and parkas, gloves, hand heaters and fluids to assist keep away from dehydration. Moreover, the sector was heated and tarped to forestall the turf from freezing.

However even all that could not completely mitigate such frigid temperatures.

“It was actually the worst that you may even think about,” Armstead stated. “And I am from Illinois. I have been enjoying in snow my complete life rising up. I really like the chilly video games. I do. To me, December, January, that is soccer to me. I really like these video games. However that day in Kansas Metropolis was the worst circumstances I ever stepped foot in.

“It was completely different. It was borderline inhumane.”

Former Seattle Seahawks Professional Bowl security Kam Chancellor can sympathize. Chancellor performed within the third-coldest recreation in NFL historical past when the Seahawks confronted the Minnesota Vikings in a 2016 wild-card recreation on the College of Minnesota throughout building of U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The temp was minus 6 with a wind chill of minus 25.

A number of days after the Seahawks’ victory, Chancellor observed black marks on his fingertips and fingernails. He notified his staff’s coaching employees members, who looped within the staff’s medical doctors to take a more in-depth look. The prognosis: frostbite.

“I had by no means had frostbite,” Chancellor informed ESPN in a current interview. “I used to be like, ‘Wait, are y’all going to chop my fingers off?'”

Such a drastic possibility was not out of the query, medical doctors informed him. However after assessing the feeling in Chancellor’s fingers, medical doctors decided he had sufficient good remaining tissue and his fingers might be saved. However therapeutic was fairly the method. Chancellor stated it took two months earlier than his unique coloration returned and practically three months earlier than he regained all of his sensation. He additionally had in depth peeling of his pores and skin, and one in every of his fingernails fell off.

Chancellor puzzled how he had sustained the harm even whereas sporting gloves. However medical doctors defined to him that sweat inside his gloves probably froze on his fingertips, leading to frostbite.

“You are on the market enjoying in that chilly climate and also you’re on the market sweating,” he stated. “After which as soon as you are taking a timeout, you are standing or sitting down, now all that sweat is on you and it is chilly as hell. So, sweat makes it worse.”

NFL OFFICIALS MONITOR climate patterns not less than every week to 10 days prematurely of scheduled video games. Based on Aponte, every week, two to a few stadiums are reserved as alternate services within the occasion that video games have to be moved due to climate or different circumstances.

And after final season’s experiences with the Dolphins-Chiefs recreation and the Steelers-Payments matchup that needed to be postponed due to harmful journey circumstances in snowy western New York, Aponte stated in mid-December that league officers deliberate to provoke conversations about climate contingencies for this postseason even sooner than traditional.

The NFL lengthened the season in 2021 by including a seventeenth recreation, and commissioner Roger Goodell has broached the thought of including one other week. Beneath that situation, the Tremendous Bowl might be performed as late as President’s Day weekend, he stated final 12 months.

Extending the size of the NFL season would possibly exacerbate the frequency of video games performed in excessive temperatures, stated Mark Anderson, professor emeritus within the College of Nebraska’s division of earth and atmospheric sciences.

“They’re dragging extra into January, which goes to provide you colder temperatures,” he stated.

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Final season’s wild-card recreation in Buffalo was postponed not due to temperatures however, somewhat, as a result of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the NFL reached an settlement that the forecast of two toes of snow would make it dangerous for the 1000’s of followers commuting to the sport.

Jazzlyn Johnson, a spokesperson for Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, mayor Quinton Lucas, confirmed town labored with the NFL forward of the Chiefs playoff recreation to make sure there have been assets akin to ample first responders on the recreation. She emphasised that “climate extremes are usually not uncommon for Kansas Metropolis in reference to outside occasions.”

In the meantime, groups are at all times evaluating their particular person approaches. The Inexperienced Bay Packers, for instance, have been recognized to subject steering to followers that explicitly mentions the potential for frostbite. The staff has supplied free cider, sizzling chocolate and hand heaters throughout notably chilly video games. There are additionally a number of climate-controlled places all through Lambeau Area that followers can entry in the event that they want to heat up.

Nonetheless, that will not assure that followers will avail themselves of assets or comply with recommendation.

Not all followers are going to be like Craig Keith, a U.S. Military officer who was stationed at close by Fort Leavenworth on the time of the sport. He and a buddy, Drew Thomas, have been drawn to the thought of attending the sport due to the plummeting ticket costs. When prime lower-bowl tickets fell beneath $100, they pounced. The seats have been nice. Swift’s suite was only a few rows behind them.

However earlier than shopping for the tickets, Keith and Thomas needed to resolve in the event that they have been outfitted to attend the sport. Keith was certified to find out this. He had undergone military cold-weather survival coaching years in the past and cited that coaching as the rationale he felt comfy going. He had been taught the risks of extended publicity to such excessive temperatures and knew easy methods to shield himself.

He defined his apparel intimately. His base layer was a moisture-wicking high and socks. A thick, “steady” undergarment was additionally a should, he stated. Then he had a number of layers — together with pants — on high of that, guaranteeing that every layer overlapped to maintain the wind out. The excess Patagonia winter gear he had saved from his military coaching got here in helpful.

Lastly, Keith donned heavy-duty gloves and used a heated hand muff, lined his head and face with a gaiter and utilized a “shemagh” headdress he picked up whereas deployed in Afghanistan.

Keith added a key level: A lot of his outfit couldn’t be placed on till arriving on the recreation due to the chance of sweating beneath through the commute. The perspiration would have left him freezing as soon as he stepped into the chilly temperatures.

Finally, the method labored. He used one of many warming stations sooner or later to heat his toes. However general, Keith stated, he was principally advantageous.

“I used to be fairly comfy,” he stated.

He couldn’t say the identical for everybody.

“I believe the entire spectrum of preparedness was on show,” Keith stated.

He added, “It appeared irresponsible, in our opinion, for the NFL to even do that, particularly after we noticed Miami followers strolling up. There was no approach these people are prepared in the event that they flew in for the sport.”

Afterward, Keith wrestled with blended feelings. On one hand, the lifelong Detroit Lions fan totally loved his first NFL playoff recreation expertise. However he puzzled if there may be a price for some others.

“I would not commerce my good time for others getting harm,” he stated.

THE URGENT CARE clinic was down the road from Maddux’s residence, so he went there the day after the Chiefs recreation. His evening of ache had dragged on slowly, however on Sunday, time moved rapidly. A health care provider examined him and referred to as the College of Kansas Well being System, which had a hospital mattress obtainable for Maddux in its burn unit.

Inside hours, he was administered a therapy referred to as tPA, a clot-busting drug that helps resume blood circulate to tissues earlier than they’re irrevocably broken. Frostbite instances are handled with an excessive sense of urgency, stated Dr. Richard Korentager, scientific service chief and chair of the division of plastic, burn and wound surgical procedure on the Well being System.

“Completely different tissues have completely different talents to outlive after having suffered a chilly harm,” Korentager stated. “Muscle, for example, is extraordinarily delicate. So it is completely different in case you simply have, say, a finger versus when you have an arm or when you have a decrease leg.

“In the event you do not deal with these muscle mass, in case you aren’t in a position to get blood provide and get them warmed sufficiently rapidly, you already know, inside — usually it may be lower than an hour — earlier than there’s going to begin to be a level of long-term harm.”

For 3 days, Maddux needed to sit in an upright place within the hospital because the tPA medicine coursed via his system. He did not know whether or not he’d lose his fingers, or if he’d nonetheless do the issues he beloved — akin to {golfing} and enjoying softball. Roughly 5 days after the playoff recreation, Maddux’s radiology assessments confirmed promising outcomes with the blood circulate in his hand. His fingers could be OK.

Dr. Julia Slater, the medical director on the burn middle who oversaw Maddux’s therapy, stated the rationale Maddux solely suffered frostbite on his proper hand could have had one thing to do with the watch he was sporting as a result of steel freezes quicker than pores and skin and conducts chilly from the steel to the pores and skin it is touching.

“This is able to make the hand sporting the steel watch colder,” Slater stated in an e-mail. “Additionally, the watch was circumferential, and making use of elevated chilly all the best way across the wrist could have led to vasoconstriction [narrowing] of the blood vessels on the wrist. This is able to lead to much less blood circulate to the hand, making it extra prone to frostbite.

“For this reason we suggest eradicating any steel jewellery if you’ll be uncovered to very chilly temperatures.”

A Well being System spokesperson stated the hospital had 73 encounters with frostbite/frostnip sufferers in January 2024, with 36 ER sufferers and 17 within the burn unit. None of their sufferers who attended the Chiefs-Dolphins recreation required amputations.

This previous summer season, Maddux performed softball and golfed. He has had just a few manicures to form his once-gnarled fingernails. And within the fall, he returned to Arrowhead Stadium to observe the Chiefs. For early-season video games.

“Yeah … I do not actually need to return out to the chilly video games an excessive amount of,” he stated. “No less than not for some time.”

Marcel Louis-Jacques, Adam Teicher and ESPN producer William Weinbaum contributed to this report.