In a move prioritizing public safety, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Saturday that the highly anticipated Wild Card game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills will be rescheduled due to an impending winter storm. Originally set to take place on Sunday, the game will now be played on Monday afternoon.

Governor Hochul took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the news, revealing that she had been in discussions with emergency personnel, the Bills, and the NFL about the potential risks associated with the severe weather conditions. The decision to postpone the game was made due to concerns about public safety.

Buffalo had already been preparing for the challenging weather ahead of the game, as the forecast had predicted heavy snowfall and powerful winds gusting up to 65 mph (105 kph). As a result, the Bills had sought volunteers on Friday to help shovel snow at the stadium in preparation for the matchup.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning lasting until 7 a.m. Monday, highlighting the extreme difficulty of travel in the Buffalo area during this time. The combination of heavy snow and strong winds was expected to cause near-zero visibility and make travel nearly impossible.

With this postponement, sheriff's deputies, who are usually assigned to Bills game-related duties, will now be available to handle storm-related emergencies in the area. Authorities were particularly concerned about the safety of Steelers fans traveling through treacherous conditions to attend the game.

The new game time has been set for Monday at 4:30 p.m., according to Governor Hochul's announcement. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Penguins' home game against the Seattle Kraken, originally scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, will now be moved earlier to 1 p.m., allowing fans to support both teams without conflict.

Governor Hochul also declared a full travel ban in Erie County, where Buffalo is located, starting Saturday at 9 p.m. to prevent unnecessary risks and ensure the safety of residents and visitors alike.

This is not the first time the Bills have experienced weather-related schedule changes. In 2022, a lake effect storm forced their home game against the Cleveland Browns to be relocated to Detroit, while a massive blizzard on Christmas Eve led to an overnight stay in Chicago due to delayed travel plans.

While playoff games have been rescheduled in the past for various reasons, including tiebreakers, it is uncommon for weather to directly affect the scheduling. Only twice before has weather played a role in changing the timing of NFL playoff games.

In January 2017, wintry conditions in Kansas City pushed back the start time of an AFC divisional playoff game between the Steelers and the Chiefs from 1 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. In 1932, the league arranged a special "playoff" game to break a tie between the Portsmouth Spartans and Chicago Bears in the standings. The extreme cold and heavy snowfall resulted in the game being played indoors at Chicago Stadium, with the Bears emerging victorious on an 80-yard field.

As anticipation builds for the rescheduled showdown between the Steelers and the Bills, the priority remains ensuring the safety and well-being of all involved.