KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts marked the first playoff victory at Arrowhead Stadium for the franchise in 25 years, but some fans marred the celebration with snowballing throwing that allegedly caused multiple injuries and drew the ire of head coach Andy Reid.
At least four fans reportedly received medical attention after getting struck by a snowball thrown from the stands, a source told ChiefsDigest.com. The Chiefs declined to comment on Saturday evening while further investigating the alleged incidents.
Dozens of snowballs rained down from the stands throughout the game, with several landing on the field. One snowball nearly struck Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez as he prepared to deliver a kick. At least one snowball struck a photographer on the sideline, while another struck a member of the Chiefs cheer squad late in the game.
Fans in the upper deck could be seen throwing snow balls landing up to nine stories below on fans in the stadium's lower bowl.
NBC's cameras showed Reid chastising fans for throwing snowballs. Officials on the field discussed the snowball throwing with the coach, who shouted at fans “be smart, use your heads,” according to NBC's Michelle Tofoya. Officials did not penalize the Chiefs, but did inform Reid that further incidents would have resulted in a penalty against the home team.
The Chiefs made several announcements during the game reminding fans that anyone caught throwing snowballs would be ejected from the stadium.
Stadium personnel cleared the stands of snow throughout the night Friday and Sunday as at least six to nine inches of snow fell throughout the Kansas City area. But snow continued to fall steadily before and during the game, leading to a buildup of snow in the stands.
The Chiefs host the AFC Championship Game next weekend. The forecast calls for another potential significant snow event on Friday and Saturday before the Sunday game with a high temperate in the teens.
