NFL Rules on Heaters For Sidelines?

[Ethan in Cleveland]

6 hours ago, Gisele said:

They intentionally built their stadium this way.  They don't have to use any shades on their side due to the stadium design so opposing teams can't use any either.  Brilliant, but cruel.   

It's a player safety issue the NFLPA should protest. Will it take a player dying of heat stroke to end this non-sense of playing in oppressive heat?

Edited December 15, 2022 by Ethan in Cleveland

[EasternOHBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Mango said:

 

Ahhhhh!!!!!That isn't true at all and the Bills have no capability to ban anything on the opposing sideline!!!!

I have said it a bunch of times in this thread, Buffalo fans have been misinterpreting the equity rule for months now. For reference. Dawkins was mic'd up for that game. Here he is (3:29 mark) under the shade. The cooling benches are to his right, and 6+ misting/cooling fans are blowing behind him. 

The Bills brought their own cooling benches, cooling fans, and had trainers holding shade above them. What the equity rule does require Miami to provide the same cooling fans to visitors that they are using. If Miami chooses not to use cooling fans, that does not prohibit Buffalo from brining and using their own. The issue is that in that kind of heat without protection from the direct sunlight those tools are basically useless. 

 

Thanks for the clarification! I wish this wasn't an issue at all, but hey, Saturday night will be a most fun watch!

[ExiledInIllinois]

How hard is it to run a rollup sun shade in tracks around this hole?  If that home team has shade, shouldn't the visiting team under the equity rule... OR just swap sides at halftime.

This roof is no different than one team having heated benches and the other that doesn't. 

 

I believe SoFi has a shade roof?

[frostbitmic]

The cold and snow is already in the Dolphins heads especially Tuna.

 

I heard him on TV saying that he played in a snow game his first year at Alabama. Apparently they had an inch in Northern Alabama and some flurries at the stadium. And then he commented that it snow's in Alabama too. He'll be the first one running for the heated bus.

 

Squish the Fish

Pummel the water mammals

[Billz4ever]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

It's a player safety issue the NFLPA should protest. Will it take a player dying of heat stroke to end this non-sense of playing in oppressive heat?

It very well might.  The NFL hasn't exactly been known for being proactive when it comes to player safety over the years.

[Motorin']

1 hour ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

It's a player safety issue the NFLPA should protest. Will it take a player dying of heat stroke to end this non-sense of playing in oppressive heat?

 

The Dolphins preventing any cooling steps in that type of extreme heat is actually a violation of OSHA standards for workplace safety. Federal safety standards should trump NFL rules. 

[Mr. WEO]

7 hours ago, NewEra said:

We should have heaters on the sideline.  It doesn’t matter that Miami will be allowed them as well. Our players don’t wanna be out there in the cold with no heat. Period

 

Agreed.  Anyone who thinks the Bills would even consider letting their own players freeze with no heaters is out of their minds.  

[Beck Water]

7 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I'm seeing people claiming that if the Bills decide not to use heaters, the Dolphins can't either.

Anyone know what the official rules are on this?

 

7 hours ago, SCBills said:

Pretty sure that’s accurate.  
 

It’s too bad our sideline isn’t built on a hot spring so we could mimic the absurd advantage Miami has. 
 

If we choose to freeze our limbs off, we can force Miami to do so as well.  

 

LOL I'm sure this is all fan/Internet chatter - our guys want to be able to warm up, so we'll have the heaters out.

 

But --- it "Buffaloed" Mike Florio.  I just listened to his segment with Chris Simms on the Dolphins game, and Mike Florio believes the Bills won't use heaters, so the Dolphins cant.

 

Chris Simms, by the way, ladeled out inspirational bulletin board material for Tua by the truckload - saying it's a question, can he play in bad weather, that when he's tried in the past he hasn't just looked bad he's looked awful, doesn't think he can do it.

 

 

15 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

The Dolphins preventing any cooling steps in that type of extreme heat is actually a violation of OSHA standards for workplace safety. Federal safety standards should trump NFL rules. 

 

I agree with this 100%.  The NFLPA should file a grievance for the teams that are scheduled to play the Dolphins at home the first 6 weeks of the season.  The NFL absolutely does not prioritize player safety here.

[muppy]

4 hours ago, KHAN said:

I think that the climate change we are experiencing will make the "outlier" hot games more and more dangerous as time goes on. The NFL may have do something eventually to flex games in extreme heat to the evening. But they won't do anything that takes away a single dollar from the coffers. I imagine someone will have to die before they change anything. Like the hockey and baseball protective netting.

BINGO.  I had this exact same thought. Heatstroke is no joke. The NFL  lawyers will write disclaimers that fans attend games at their own risk to avoid liability if it were to happen to a fan. But clearly players don't have that option.  I know they have the best trainers,  hydration protocols  along with world class  physical conditioning allowing  players to perform under stresses like heat. But lets not pretend that Miami cares if an opponent has heat hardships in their stadium they just dont. Home field advantage yes. But yet now we hear the weeping and gnashing of teeth because they have to deal with cold and snow? Cry me  a river 😏 

 

I have ZERO sympathy just sayin. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by muppy

[Mango]

28 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

The Dolphins preventing any cooling steps in that type of extreme heat is actually a violation of OSHA standards for workplace safety. Federal safety standards should trump NFL rules. 

There is no rule that prevents cooling benches or cooling fans on the sidelines. The Bills brought and used their own benches, fans, and canopies. 
 

The shade from the sun provided by the stadium itself is the only difference between the teams. 
 

I’ve posted this on nearly every page of this thread. At least make a tiny effort. 

16 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

 

LOL I'm sure this is all fan/Internet chatter - our guys want to be able to warm up, so we'll have the heaters out.

 

But --- it "Buffaloed" Mike Florio.  I just listened to his segment with Chris Simms on the Dolphins game, and Mike Florio believes the Bills won't use heaters, so the Dolphins cant.

 

Chris Simms, by the way, ladeled out inspirational bulletin board material for Tua by the truckload - saying it's a question, can he play in bad weather, that when he's tried in the past he hasn't just looked bad he's looked awful, doesn't think he can do it.

 

 

 

I agree with this 100%.  The NFLPA should file a grievance for the teams that are scheduled to play the Dolphins at home the first 6 weeks of the season.  The NFL absolutely does not prioritize player safety here.

Florio is wrong. 
 

The Bills brought and used cooling fans, canopies, and benches to Miami. By Miami not using them, they don’t have to provide them to visitors. But visitors are well within league rules to bring and use their own league sanctioned devices. 
 

 

[teef]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

Trash the heaters and have @teef and @Royale with Cheese in the first row behind the Bills bench. Those two are full of hot air and will keep the Bills toasty warm.

It’s just the heat coming off my man parts. 

[Motorin']

56 minutes ago, Mango said:

There is no rule that prevents cooling benches or cooling fans on the sidelines. The Bills brought and used their own benches, fans, and canopies. 
 

The shade from the sun provided by the stadium itself is the only difference between the teams. 
 

I’ve posted this on nearly every page of this thread. At least make a tiny effort. 

Florio is wrong. 
 

The Bills brought and used cooling fans, canopies, and benches to Miami. By Miami not using them, they don’t have to provide them to visitors. But visitors are well within league rules to bring and use their own league sanctioned devices. 
 

 

 

[msw2112]

11 hours ago, JoPoy88 said:

Sorta on topic: the Dolphins had heaters in LA. It was 55 degrees:

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/amp/nfl/news/dolphins-heaters-los-angeles-bills-buffalo-weather/mhn3uepdscqeibdizsnpa9fv

 

Did the Chargers have them too?  Based on what I am seeing here, if the home team doesn't use something, the visiting team can't either.

 

Or, maybe, as the post quoted in the one directly above this one says (with the awesome Church Lady .gif), Florio is wrong and the visiting team can bring their own equipment as they see fit?

Edited December 16, 2022 by msw2112

[TAinLack.]

4 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

The cold and snow is already in the Dolphins heads especially Tuna.

 

I heard him on TV saying that he played in a snow game his first year at Alabama. Apparently they had an inch in Northern Alabama and some flurries at the stadium. And then he commented that it snow's in Alabama too. He'll be the first one running for the heated bus.

 

Squish the Fish

Pummel the water mammals

An inch of snow in Alabama, we call that a dusting here in Buffalo!

[AlfaBill]

12 hours ago, Gisele said:

They intentionally built their stadium this way.  They don't have to use any shades on their side due to the stadium design so opposing teams can't use any either.  Brilliant, but cruel.   

Brilliant. Too bad it hasn’t brought a title. 

[ElMarko]

11 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Agreed!  

 

I swear I feel like so many people completely over look this home field cold "advantage" against opponents ALSO affects our team and players too.  And our team doesn't play well in the cold either and isn't built for the cold.  So why hurt us and what we do well to try and maybe impact the opponent some.  

 

And I will say it right now...if it came down to who can run the ball better, I would trust the tandem of Wilson and Mostert more than I would Devin and Cook (who falls down if the wind blows).  So lets not try and make this a must run to win game because we will be the ones probably impacted the most.  

 

I am not worried about Allens ability to out duel over rated Tua.  I am worried about our OL and RB's out rushing the Dolphins if neither team can throw.  

Bills have 3rd best Rush defense. Everyone thinks otherwise. Top 3 in entire league. 

[pennstate10]

4 hours ago, Mango said:

There is no rule that prevents cooling benches or cooling fans on the sidelines. The Bills brought and used their own benches, fans, and canopies. 
 

The shade from the sun provided by the stadium itself is the only difference between the teams. 
 

I’ve posted this on nearly every page of this thread. At least make a tiny effort. 

Florio is wrong. 
 

The Bills brought and used cooling fans, canopies, and benches to Miami. By Miami not using them, they don’t have to provide them to visitors. But visitors are well within league rules to bring and use their own league sanctioned devices. 
 

 

I’m 99% sure you’re incorrect. 
Bills had fans and cooling benches but weren’t allowed canopies similar to the injury tents. That’s what they needed more than anything to provide shade form direct sun, which the dolphins were provided via stadium roof. 
This is the crux of the unfair advantage and the entire discussion. 

[Richard Noggin]

5 hours ago, Beck Water said:

I agree with this 100%.  The NFLPA should file a grievance for the teams that are scheduled to play the Dolphins at home the first 6 weeks of the season.  The NFL absolutely does not prioritize player safety here.

 

I've read comments on here suggesting the direct sunlight and heat index disparity is mostly a 1 PM kickoff issue? That maybe a 4 PM start mitigates it enough to at least keep these giant athletes safe?

 

I did live on that godforsaken peninsula for the better part of a decade, and I have attended a couple early-season games in that South Florida nightmare factory (PRE-awning installation)...heck, it was the home team's "fans" who spent a LOT of time in the concourses avoiding the extreme sun/heat. It's no joke. 

 

I don't know if a later kickoff (combined with the new awnings) would alleviate some of the extreme conditions exacerbated by the relentless, direct sunlight of early afternoon in the tropics. 

 

35 minutes ago, TAinLA said:

An inch of snow in Alabama, we call that a dusting here in Buffalo!

 

We don't call it anything.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Richard Noggin

[Mango]

9 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

I’m 99% sure you’re incorrect. 
Bills had fans and cooling benches but weren’t allowed canopies similar to the injury tents. That’s what they needed more than anything to provide shade form direct sun, which the dolphins were provided via stadium roof. 
This is the crux of the unfair advantage and the entire discussion. 

I didn’t say anything incorrect. I never mentioned anything about “canopies similar to cooling tents”. But there were trainers holding canopies over the benches. 3:29 mark. That is 100% fact.

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/mic-d-up-dion-dawkins-x2743

 

Baking in the sun is and was problem number one. I’ve mentioned that numerous times in this thread. But it isn’t inherently an issue with the equity rule. I think the issue falls on the league regarding tents and blocking the line of sight for cameras and fans. 

 

Edit: Just to be clear, when you say I am incorrect and the heart of the conversation is about the shade from the roof, the post you quoted me on was from me saying that the Bills could not prevent the Dolphins from using heaters or heated benches. What you quoted me on wasn't a topic of conversation for the OP I was quoting or my response. 

For player safety concerns, the league needs to figure out how to manage Miami better. Full stop. I don't think they are going to ever allow a fully tarped sideline and adding any roof protection would take too much time and too much money to push through and have installed for the next season. @Richard Noggin suggested that Miami plays the first few weeks of the season at 4:30 only. This is likely the most implementable immediate solution. 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Mango

[Matt_In_NH]

Is there a rule against Josh Allen throwing on the sidelines now?