Freezer Bowl
Encyclopedia
In NFL
lore, the Freezer Bowl (January 10, 1982) was the 1981
AFC Championship Game
between the San Diego Chargers
and the Cincinnati Bengals
. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL
history in terms of wind chill
. (The coldest in terms of air temperature was the Ice Bowl
.) Air temperature was -9 °F, but the wind chill
, factoring in a sustained wind of 27 miles per hour (43.5 km/h), was -37 °F (calculated as -59 °F using the now outdated wind chill formula in place at the time). The game was played at Cincinnati
's Riverfront Stadium, and televised by NBC
with announcers Dick Enberg
and Merlin Olsen
.
: quarterback Dan Fouts
, receiver Charlie Joiner
and tight end Kellen Winslow
. San Diego also had two superb running backs, Chuck Muncie
, who led the NFL with 19 touchdowns, and multi-talented rookie James Brooks, who finished the season with 2,093 all-purpose yards. Cincinnati also had several stars on offense. Quarterback Ken Anderson was the top rated passer in the NFL, and had won both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
. Tight end Dan Ross
, running back Pete Johnson
, and rookie receiver Cris Collinsworth
were widely considered to be among the best players in the NFL at their positions. The Bengals offensive line featured future Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Muñoz
, who was selected by NFL coaches as the NFL Lineman of the Year Award winner during the season. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1904
Both teams were coming off extremely narrow wins in the divisional playoffs. A week earlier, the Bengals won their first ever playoff game by defeating the Buffalo Bills
28-21 after forcing Buffalo to turn the ball over on downs during their final drive. Meanwhile the Chargers narrowly defeated the Miami Dolphins
in overtime 41-38, in a game that set playoff records for most points scored in a playoff game (79), the most total yards by both teams (1,036), and most passing yards by both teams (809). That game, which became known as "The Epic In Miami
", was played in the heat and humidity of Miami
, and the Chargers found themselves dealing with nearly the exact opposite conditions in the AFC title game. Before the Chargers took the field, Running back/Special teamer Hank Bauer tested the field conditions. Bauer recalled: "when I came out of that tunnel... man, it (the wind) just hit you-like somebody threw 100 knives at you." When he returned to the locker room, he told his fellow teammates: "Whatever you got on, take it off. Number one-you won't be able to move (with all the layers) and number two-it ain't gonna help."
The Bengals offensive line played the entire game with bare arms. A number of them played with bare hands as well. They placed hot water bottles inside their cups (athletic supporters) and between plays they walked around with their hands in their pants which many people found amusing.
It was so cold icicles started to form on Fouts' beard early in the game.
Within one week, the Chargers went from playing an overtime game in Miami in 88 degree, high humidity weather to playing in the -37 wind chill in Cincinnati, an effective difference of 125 degrees.
. Then James Brooks lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bengals scored a touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Anderson to tight end M. L. Harris
, increasing their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, the Chargers cut their deficit to 10-7 with Fouts' 33-yard touchdown pass to Winslow. But on the Chargers next drive, Fouts was intercepted by Bengals defensive back Louis Breeden
. Breeden's interception set up another Bengals touchdown on Johnson's 1-yard run, giving them a 17-7 lead. The Bengals completely took over the game from that point on. Breech kicked another field goal in the third quarter to increase the lead to 20-7. Then in final period, Anderson put the game away with a 3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Don Bass
. The Bengals won the game 27-7 and advanced to the first Super Bowl in franchise history (Super Bowl XVI
).
Fouts completed 15 of 28 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Muncie was the top rusher of the game with 94 yards. Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions, and rushed for 39 yards. Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pass for 14 yards.
As a sidenote, Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg
had already participated in one of the coldest games in NFL history prior to this one. When he was a player for the Green Bay Packers
in 1967, Gregg played in the famous NFL championship game against the Dallas Cowboys
that became known as the Ice Bowl
. Another sidenote is that Brooks, whose fumble helped the Bengals win the game, would later go on to help the Bengals get to Super Bowl XXIII
in the 1988 season, this time not as an opponent, but as a player for the team. After spending 2 more seasons with the Chargers, Brooks was traded to the Bengals in exchange for Pete Johnson, and remained on the team until 1991. Brooks made the Pro Bowl
4 times with the Bengals (1986, 1988–1990) and left Cincinnati as the team's all time leading rusher (Jim).
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
lore, the Freezer Bowl (January 10, 1982) was the 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1981-82
The NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. All four of the AFC playoff games were between teams who had never faced each other in the postseason before...
between the San Diego Chargers
1981 San Diego Chargers season
The 1981 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 1980. In the playoffs they beat the Dolphins in a game known as the Epic in Miami and lost to the Bengals in a game known as the Freezer Bowl....
and the Cincinnati Bengals
1981 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 14th year in professional football and its 12th with the National Football League.The Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants. They had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season and, on Dec...
. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
history in terms of wind chill
Wind chill
Wind chill is the felt air temperature on exposed skin due to wind. The wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature, and the windchill is undefined at the higher temps...
. (The coldest in terms of air temperature was the Ice Bowl
NFL Championship Game, 1967
The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
.) Air temperature was -9 °F, but the wind chill
Wind chill
Wind chill is the felt air temperature on exposed skin due to wind. The wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature, and the windchill is undefined at the higher temps...
, factoring in a sustained wind of 27 miles per hour (43.5 km/h), was -37 °F (calculated as -59 °F using the now outdated wind chill formula in place at the time). The game was played at Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
's Riverfront Stadium, and televised by NBC
NFL on NBC
NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
with announcers Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
and Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
.
Background
Despite the Bengals' dominating 40-17 win over the Chargers during the season, it was expected to be a very thrilling and hard fought game between the two teams. The Chargers offense featured three future members of the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: quarterback Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
, receiver Charlie Joiner
Charlie Joiner
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
and tight end Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
. San Diego also had two superb running backs, Chuck Muncie
Chuck Muncie
Harry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
, who led the NFL with 19 touchdowns, and multi-talented rookie James Brooks, who finished the season with 2,093 all-purpose yards. Cincinnati also had several stars on offense. Quarterback Ken Anderson was the top rated passer in the NFL, and had won both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
NFL Most Valuable Player Award
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
. Tight end Dan Ross
Dan Ross (American football)
Daniel R. Ross was a professional American football tight end who played for the Cincinnati Bengals , the Seattle Seahawks , and the Green Bay Packers . He also played for the New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the USFL in 1984-1985.-College football:Before his NFL career, Ross played football at...
, running back Pete Johnson
Pete Johnson (American football)
Pete Johnson is a former college and professional American football running back. He spent 8 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. Before his NFL career, Johnson played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.-College career:Johnson played fullback for Ohio State from 1973 through 1976...
, and rookie receiver Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
were widely considered to be among the best players in the NFL at their positions. The Bengals offensive line featured future Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Muñoz
Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
, who was selected by NFL coaches as the NFL Lineman of the Year Award winner during the season. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1904
Both teams were coming off extremely narrow wins in the divisional playoffs. A week earlier, the Bengals won their first ever playoff game by defeating the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
28-21 after forcing Buffalo to turn the ball over on downs during their final drive. Meanwhile the Chargers narrowly defeated the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in overtime 41-38, in a game that set playoff records for most points scored in a playoff game (79), the most total yards by both teams (1,036), and most passing yards by both teams (809). That game, which became known as "The Epic In Miami
The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami is the name given to a National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl...
", was played in the heat and humidity of Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, and the Chargers found themselves dealing with nearly the exact opposite conditions in the AFC title game. Before the Chargers took the field, Running back/Special teamer Hank Bauer tested the field conditions. Bauer recalled: "when I came out of that tunnel... man, it (the wind) just hit you-like somebody threw 100 knives at you." When he returned to the locker room, he told his fellow teammates: "Whatever you got on, take it off. Number one-you won't be able to move (with all the layers) and number two-it ain't gonna help."
The Bengals offensive line played the entire game with bare arms. A number of them played with bare hands as well. They placed hot water bottles inside their cups (athletic supporters) and between plays they walked around with their hands in their pants which many people found amusing.
It was so cold icicles started to form on Fouts' beard early in the game.
Within one week, the Chargers went from playing an overtime game in Miami in 88 degree, high humidity weather to playing in the -37 wind chill in Cincinnati, an effective difference of 125 degrees.
Overview
Cincinnati scored first with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Jim BreechJim Breech
James Thomas Breech is a former American football kicker in the National Football League, who played for Oakland Raiders in 1979 and Cincinnati Bengals from 1980-1992. Before his NFL career, Breech played for the University of California and Sacramento High School...
. Then James Brooks lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bengals scored a touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Anderson to tight end M. L. Harris
M. L. Harris
Michael Lee Harris is a former professional American football player who played tight end for six seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals. He also played four seasons in the Canadian Football League....
, increasing their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, the Chargers cut their deficit to 10-7 with Fouts' 33-yard touchdown pass to Winslow. But on the Chargers next drive, Fouts was intercepted by Bengals defensive back Louis Breeden
Louis Breeden
Louis Breeden is a former professional American Football player who played defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League.-Career:...
. Breeden's interception set up another Bengals touchdown on Johnson's 1-yard run, giving them a 17-7 lead. The Bengals completely took over the game from that point on. Breech kicked another field goal in the third quarter to increase the lead to 20-7. Then in final period, Anderson put the game away with a 3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Don Bass
Don Bass
Donald Wayne Bass was a professional American football tight end in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New Orleans Saints . He played college football at the University of Houston...
. The Bengals won the game 27-7 and advanced to the first Super Bowl in franchise history (Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
).
Fouts completed 15 of 28 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown, with 2 interceptions. Muncie was the top rusher of the game with 94 yards. Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions, and rushed for 39 yards. Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pass for 14 yards.
As a sidenote, Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
had already participated in one of the coldest games in NFL history prior to this one. When he was a player for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in 1967, Gregg played in the famous NFL championship game against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
that became known as the Ice Bowl
NFL Championship Game, 1967
The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
. Another sidenote is that Brooks, whose fumble helped the Bengals win the game, would later go on to help the Bengals get to Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
in the 1988 season, this time not as an opponent, but as a player for the team. After spending 2 more seasons with the Chargers, Brooks was traded to the Bengals in exchange for Pete Johnson, and remained on the team until 1991. Brooks made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
4 times with the Bengals (1986, 1988–1990) and left Cincinnati as the team's all time leading rusher (Jim).
Scoring summary
- CIN - FG Breech 31
- CIN - Harris 8 pass from Anderson (Breech kick)
- SD - Winslow 33 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick)
- CIN - Johnson 1 run (Breech kick)
- CIN - FG Breech 38
- CIN - Bass 3 pass from Anderson (Breech kick)
Officials
- Referee: Fred SilvaFred SilvaFred Silva was an American football official in the National Football League for 21 seasons from 1968 to 1988. Silva was widely known for his coolness under fire on the football field and clapping his hand together when signaling a first down...
- Umpire: Art DemmasArt DemmasArt Demmas was an American Professional Football on-field official for 28 seasons. He was in the American Football League in 1968 and 1969 and in the NFL from the 1970 to 1996 NFL season. During his career as a Professional Football official, Demmas was assigned to four Super Bowls , all as an...
- Head Linesman: Burl TolerBurl TolerBurl Abron Toler, Sr. was an American football official in the National Football League for 24 seasons from 1965 to 1989. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL...
- Line Judge: Walt Peters
- Side Judge: Dave Parry
- Back Judge: Jim PooleJames Richard PooleJames Richard Poole is a former American badminton player who won national and international championships between 1958 and 1979.-Career:...
- Field Judge: Bob Lewis
See also
- NFL playoffs, 1981-82NFL playoffs, 1981-82The NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. All four of the AFC playoff games were between teams who had never faced each other in the postseason before...
- The similarly named Snow BowlSnow Bowl (disambiguation)-Sporting events:* Snow Bowl , American football game played on November 25, 1950, between the University of Michigan and the Ohio State University...
and Ice BowlNFL Championship Game, 1967The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...