Saturday’s game between the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans has been postponed by one hour to 2:02 p.m. ET due to power outages and rolling blackouts in the region.
“Time alert: NFL is pushing back the Texans-Titans kickoff by one hour to 2:02 pm ET due to the power outages in the Tennessee area, per sources,” wrote ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Time alert: NFL is pushing back the Texans-Titans kickoff by one hour to 2:02 pm ET due to the power outages in the Tennessee area, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 24, 2022
Per ESPN, the Titans were asked by Nashville mayor John Cooper to postpone the game as the Tennessee Valley Authority is conducting rolling blackouts Saturday morning due to the unprecedented cold temperatures that have caused a high power demand in the region as well as around the country.
“I’ve been informed that TVA’s unilateral rolling blackouts will continue,” Cooper posted on Twitter. “All non-essential businesses should reduce power usage. I’ve asked the Titans to postpone their 12pm game in solidarity with our neighbors.”
I’ve been informed that TVA’s unilateral rolling blackouts will continue. All non-essential businesses should reduce power usage. I’ve asked the @Titans to postpone their 12pm game in solidarity with our neighbors.
TVA needs to invest in infrastructure to withstand extreme temps https://t.co/J0XFq8euGB
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) December 24, 2022
The Titans also released a statrement of their own, saying “we are exploring every possibility to minimize non-essential power around the stadium.”
Official statement on game postponement #HOUvsTEN pic.twitter.com/NpodRkXmX3
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 24, 2022
The game will still be broadcast on CBS, just with a later start time.
It is now confirmed that Titans-Texans kickoff will be delayed 1 hour.
New kickoff is at 2:02 pm ET. pic.twitter.com/yKyGipLxiF
— NFL on CBS ? (@NFLonCBS) December 24, 2022
When they do begin play, it is almost certainly going to be the coldest home game in Titans franchise history. The temperature at kickoff is expected to be 18 degrees, which would be the coldest game ever played at Nissan Stadium, breaking the record of 23 degrees in a game from 2017.