CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals fell to the Baltimore Ravens in sub-zero temperatures Sunday at Paycor Stadium — but did the team also violate NFL policy?
Hamilton County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas called out the Bengals on social media after the game for the conditions fans dealt with due to the snow.
"I want to apologize to the Bengals fans that had to clean snow, out of their own seats," Dumas wrote on Facebook. "The Bengals have to do better !! I demand it and so does the NFL."
Photos from Paycor Stadium ahead of the game show practically every seat filled with snow. The Greater Cincinnati area experienced roughly 4-6 inches of snowfall Saturday afternoon and evening.
The game's broadcast also saw fans — at least the ones who braved the freezing temps — battling the snow in their seats.
While fans and Dumas are upset at the leftover snow, did the Bengals actually break any rules by leaving it there?
According to the NFL Operations Manual, potentially.
On page A48 of the 2022-2023 NFL Operations Manual, the league details special guidelines for snow and ice conditions.
"Each home club is responsible for having a snow removal plan in place and ensuring that its stadium has adequate snow removal equipment available," the manual reads. "Snow and ice must be removed from the stadium before all games. This applies to the playing field, sidelines, seating bowl, aisles, pedestrian ramps, walkways, parking lots, etc."
We reached out to the Bengals about the possible violation, and they directed us to the NFL, which didn't specify any broken rules.
"The league's football operations and security departments were in contact with the club and stadium personnel over the previous 48 hours regarding snow removal," said Brian McCarthy, the NFL's VP of Communications. "The field, sidelines, aisles and walkways were prioritized and appropriately cleared throughout the weekend."
"Additional snowfall occurred overnight which resulted in minimal accumulation within the stadium bowl. Mitigation efforts were implemented to ensure the field and stadium were ready for the game. Stadium personnel assisted fans at their seats as necessary," McCarthy continued.
So while Dumas and fans may be upset, it seems the Bengals may come out unscathed by the NFL.
