According to one report, Cleveland might be preparing to host its first NFL playoff game in nearly three decades, only for it to feature the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The NFL’s Wild Card Weekend is scheduled to see Buffalo host the Steelers Sunday at 1pm ET. But with the threat of major snow looming, one Pittsburgh radio host claimed the game could be moved to Cleveland Browns Stadium if Buffalo is forced to declare a state of emergency.
Settle down, Bills fans. The NFL has reportedly already denied the rumor that Buffalo’s home playoff game could be redirected to Cleveland. That rumor was started Thursday morning by KDKA radio host Marty Griffin.
Here’s audio of KDKA Pittsburgh radio host Marty Griffin saying he heard Steelers-Bills could be moved to Cleveland pic.twitter.com/FGQ0QaSEC3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 11, 2024
“My boys work at the stadium in Cleveland,” Griffin said Thursday on the Big K Morning Show. “Got a phone call to get ready. I was told this. Just saying.”
93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi quickly countered Griffin’s report on air, claiming he has contacts in Buffalo who said there was zero change the game would be moved or postponed. But Fillipponi gave credence to the report from Griffin by tweeting it out Thursday afternoon.
Per @KDKARadio host Marty Griffin: Sources tell him Steelers-Bill could get moved to Cleveland if lake effect weather and state of emergency is declared in Western New York on Sunday. He says that Browns stadium officials have been told to “be ready”
Wow
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 11, 2024
In response, several reporters reached out to the NFL and were told there have not been any discussions about moving the game to Cleveland. And considering it’s already Thursday evening with the game scheduled for early Sunday afternoon, any discussions about relocating the Wild Card matchup would need to happen quickly.
Multiple sources tell me there’s no truth to rumor the Steelers-Bills wild-card playoff game could be moved to Cleveland due to weather concerns in Western New York.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 11, 2024
The NFL says the suggestion the Bills vs. Steelers game could get moved to Cleveland is inaccurate. A league spokesperson told me there has been no discussion to change the location or time of the game @WKBW
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) January 11, 2024
The Steelers have not been informed of any plans to move their game against the Buffalo Bills to Cleveland due to the weather, a team spokesperson said.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 11, 2024
Despite those reporters countering what Griffin said in the morning, KDKA doubled down on the host’s report Thursday afternoon, tweeting the station learned that playing the Steelers-Bills game in Cleveland is a contingency plan should the weather pose any risk.
JUST IN: @kdka has learned there is a contingency plan for the Steelers/Bills game. If player and fan safety is at risk with the weather, the NFL will move the will move the game to Cleveland.
— Chris Hoffman (@NewsmanChris) January 11, 2024
It’s very hard to imagine the NFL would take a playoff game out of Buffalo. It’s even harder to imagine they would move it to Cleveland, where Pittsburgh would have a distinct home field advantage despite being the road team.
[KDKA]
