NFL fans were treated to a beautiful snowy game in Buffalo on Sunday night as the Bills and 49ers faced off in freezing snowstorms.
Western New York was pummeled by lake-effect snow all weekend, but fans and staff managed to dig out 2 feet of the white stuff to keep the game going as planned.
And it didn’t disappoint as fans took to social media to share their love for the conditions – from the warmth and comfort of their homes.
It was a slightly different experience for fans inside the stadium as clips emerged on social media of them climbing through layers of snow to their seats wrapped in jackets and scarves for the big match.
Saturday and Sunday, volunteers came to the stadium to earn $20 an hour and some free hot drinks for their efforts to clear snow from the field.
Conditions eased in the hours before kick-off as officials removed the tarpaulin from the pitch, but snow began to fall heavily shortly before the match started.
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 in the first quarter
Fans climbed through piles of snow to reach their seats on a frigid night in Orchard Park
That led to “magical” conditions for the start of the Sunday Night Football showdown, as both teams fought through the snowstorm to try to score.
“How can you look at the snow in an NFL game and honestly say you want to tame it by putting a roof over it? Where is your soul?,” one fan wrote.
Another said: ‘This is the perfect, aesthetically pleasing game,’ while one said: ‘Snow football rules!’
The Bills took an early lead in the game against San Francisco, much to the delight of the enthusiastic home crowd, who celebrated by throwing snowballs on the field.
A San Francisco 49ers fan felt far from home at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night
A grounds crew member blows snow off the field during a timeout on 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 game’s first touchdown by diving into the end zone and landing in the snow, before James Cook added another with his own snow party.
Before the game, wide receiver Mack Hollins had turned heads with his bizarre arrival outfit — dressed like a mad scientist, but without shoes.
He seemed unfazed by the freezing cold and left his shoes at home despite the snow that had piled up in the parking lot as he walked from his car to the locker room.