KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Hundreds of flights have been delayed or all out canceled this weekend as a massive winter storm snarled traffic across the country. Among those impacted were the Kansas City Chiefs, who were trying to leave Kansas City on Saturday ahead of their Week 18 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Severe winter weather was sweeping through Kansas City on Saturday, Nexstar’s WDAF reported. That, paired with a broken-down treatment truck, forced Kansas City International Airport to shut down its airfield. Officials cited “rapid ice accumulation” in a statement shortly before 3 p.m.
The shutdown also grounded the Chiefs’ flight, which was prepared to take off for Denver, the WDAF sports team confirmed.
The Chiefs originally planned to leave before the storm could affect their travel plans, however, the plane they were set to fly aboard was delayed in arriving at KCI.
There were initially concerns the Chiefs-Broncos game, scheduled for a 3:25 p.m. CT kickoff on Sunday, would be rescheduled.
However, shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday, City Manager Brian Platt said KCI runways would “reopen and resume normal operations in about 30 minutes.”
The Chiefs were eventually able to take off and later landed in Denver at around 7 p.m. CT — nearly three and a half hours later than scheduled, according to FlightAware.com. The flight likely encountered heavy snow en route as well, as snowy conditions stretched across the central U.S. from both coasts.
While the Chiefs have already clinched the top seed in the AFC, Sunday’s game in Denver could have big playoff implications. The Cincinnati Bengals, who kept their playoff hopes alive with a 19-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, need the Patrick Mahomes-less Chiefs to beat the Broncos and for the New York Jets to secure a win or tie against Miami Dolphins to grab the final playoff spot in the AFC.
On the other side of the field, the Broncos will be playing for their first playoff spot since 2015.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
