By Paul Yeager, author of Weather Whys: Facts, Myths, and Oddities
Weather myths is one chapter in my weather book (available in any book store on online book seller, I might add!), and a sports weather myth is that cold weather is worse for football players than hot weather. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Just yesterday, two games were affected by hot weather–Pittsburgh versus Tampa Bay and New York Jets versus Miami. Both teams featured a number of players being treated for dehydration, including the occasional IV. Defensive line players were rotated regularly, and even offensive line players were rotated in and out of the lineup.
Players would often be seen nearly collapsing on the field, and after a quick New York Jet touchdown, one Jet player had a suspicious injury on the following kickoff, making the announcers wonder whether a coach had instructed him to give the weary defense a little more time to rest before returning to the field.
Cold weather can affect a game as well, but nothing wears down players, particularly lineman, more than hot and humid weather.
