NFL fans were treated to a brilliant snow game in Buffalo on Sunday night, as the Bills and 49ers went head-to-head in freezing blizzard conditions.
Western New York was battered by lake effect snow throughout the weekend, but fans and staff managed to dig out 23 inches of the white stuff to get the game on as planned.
And it did not disappoint as fans took to social media to share their love for the conditions – from the warmth and comfort of their homes.
For fans inside the stadium it was a slightly different experience, as social media clips emerged of them climbing to their seats through layers of snow, wrapped in coats and scarves for the big game.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, volunteers arrived at the stadium to earn $20 a hour and some free hot drinks for their efforts in helping to clear snow from the field.
The conditions eased in the hours before kickoff as officials removed the tarp from the field, but shortly before the game began the snow began to fall heavily.
Ray Davis dives into the end zone for the first touchdown on a snowy night in Buffalo, New York
Khalil Shakir is tackled to the ground by 49ers’ Matthew Wright during the first quarter
Fans clambered through piles of snow to reach their seats on a freezing night in Orchard Park
That led to ‘magical’ conditions for the start of the Sunday Night Football showdown, as both teams battled through the blizzard to try and score.
‘How can you look at the snow in an NFL game and honestly say you want to tame that by putting a roof over it? Where’s your soul?,’ one fan wrote.
Another added: ‘This is the perfect, aesthetically pleasing game,’ while one said: ‘Snow football rules!’
The Bills raced into an early lead in the game against San Francisco, much to the delight of the hardy home crowd, who celebrated by throwing snowballs onto the field.
A San Francisco 49ers fan felt a long way from home at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night
A grounds crew member blows snow off the field during a timeout in Sunday Night Football
The Bills players had some fun in the snow after James Cook scored the team’s second TD
The Bills paid fans $20 an hour to come down and help them clear snow from the field
Ray Davis scored the first touchdown of the game by diving into the end zone and landing in the snow, before James Cook added another with his own snowy celebration.
Before the game, wide receiver Mack Hollins had turned heads with his bizarre arrival outfit – dressed as a mad scientist, but without any shoes.
He did not appear to be fazed by the freezing conditions, leaving his shoes at home despite the snow being piled up in the parking lot as he made his way from his car to the locker room.
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