NFL has some explaining to do after Chiefs-Dolphins fan hospitalizations

Kansas City Chiefs fans braved the cold weather on Saturday night to attend the team's Wild Card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs made it worth their while, defeating Miami by several touchdowns and cementing their spot in the Divisional Round.

Perhaps even more impressive than playing in said game, which Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Co. performed admirably, were the fans. As players, adrenaline typically sets in, and there are heaters on the sideline. That's far from the case in the seats, as some supporters found out the hard way. According to Kansas City EMS, there were dozens of calls made for hypothermia-related issues.

"A Kansas City Fire Department spokesperson said the agency handled 69 calls at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs took on the Miami Dolphins amid subzero temperatures," Makenzie Koch of FOX 4 wrote. "Of the nearly 70 calls KC first responders received at Arrowhead, 15 people were transported to a local hospital. Seven of those transported were for hypothermia, and three were for frostbite."

Did NFL make a mistake playing Chiefs-Dolphins in the cold?

KCFD EMS Division Chief Nathan Hopper shared some key warning signs of hypothermia, much of which was on display during the Chiefs postseason victory.

"Shivering is how the body stays warm. Without shivering you don't begin to generate heat anymore and at that point, if someone doesn't come to help you, it becomes a fatal condition," Hopper said.

Considering the dozens of hypothermia calls, it's fair to wonder if the NFL made the right call playing the game at all. It was one of the coldest games in NFL history, and the wind chill made the freezing temperatures tough to deal with.

Roger Goodell and Co. moved the Buffalo-Pittsburgh AFC Wild Card game from Sunday to Monday due to several feet of snow. This is an element that was lacking on Saturday in Kansas City.