As we enter mid-October the NFL season is just starting to heat up. But while the season gets older, the weather will start to get colder and nasty.
The final weeks of the NFL season generally bring us cold weather, snow and even some rain making for some treacherous conditions during games. But Nike, the official NFL uniform supplier, has the gear to keep players warm and dry as they their roles increase during important NFL games.
Nike examines the remainder of the NFL season based on the weather forecast for extreme conditions.
Though rain, sleet or snow, athletes continue to train and compete in any condition. Nike understands the science of sweat and knows that athletes perform at their best when equipped for any condition through an elevated system of dress – starting from the inside out. Nike Pro Combat baselayer not only protects athletes from the inside out, but also provides a technical solution to help athletes prepare for every condition across multiple sports.
Nike designers, researchers and developers start with athlete insights in order to determine their needs. From there, they unlock these athlete insights in the Nike Explore Team Sport Research Lab by looking at athlete performance data. These insights help inform next steps in apparel innovation such as materials testing, fit and flexibility analysis, and more, in order to help designers create the best apparel to protect and prepare athletes for any condition.
To that end, Nike Pro Combat baselayer apparel keeps the body regulated for inclement weather through thermoregulation, breathability and a body-contoured streamlined fit. Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm and Hypercool apparel provide an optimal fit with added mesh in high-heat zones for ventilation and comfort.
In the beginning of the season, the Oakland Raiders were believed to have the toughest NFL schedule with the Indianapolis Colts having one of the easiest. But Nike took a look at the schedule and how weather will impact it throughout the season.
Their results came through with NFC North teams having the most extreme cold weather predictions with the Green Bay Packers leading the league. Following the Packers are the Vikings at number two and the Chicago Bears at number three. It’s really no surprise seeing that the Bears hosting five of their final eight games at home. Two of those three road games include trips to Green Bay and Minnesota.
The Vikings will also host five of their final eight at home, and one of those road games is in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Packers are in the same boat with five home games in their final eight. But the Packers travel to Minnesota and Buffalo in two road games earning them the most extreme cold weather schedule.
The mildest schedule? That belongs to the Seattle Seahawks. And the hottest schedule belongs to the Miami Dolphins, which is not surprising at all.
Additionally, two-thirds of all NFL teams will play in extreme weather (over 80 degrees Fahrenheit or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit) during the course of the 17-week season. From the data, the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams all have a “weather strength of schedule” evenly split between extreme hot and extreme cold weather games.
During the last week of the season, where many teams are typically jockeying for last-minute playoff position and berths, 25 percent of the league will experience extreme cold weather games – all the more reason to ensure they’re wearing the right baselayer. Three teams will experience extreme cold weather games during the final three weeks of the season (week 15 – week 17): Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs.
You can purchase official Nike NFL uniforms for your favorite team or other NFL gear from Nike here.
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