NFL Kickoff Game on NBC Delayed Due to ‘Severe’ Weather

The NFL 2018 season opening game was delayed due to bad weather conditions in Philadelphia on Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles were set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET, but moments before the game was set to begin, the field was cleared due to bad weather.

Fans in the stands were asked to leave their seats and take shelter in the stadium concourses because of a thunderstorm in the area.

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The scene @LFFStadium as fans have been told to take cover. #NFLKickoff pic.twitter.com/p3gSb8RxV2

— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 7, 2018

A tweet from the Eagles account warned fans in the stadium that “the National Weather Service is forecasting that our current weather pattern may contain some severe conditions, including lighting and gusty winds.”

The game was first pushed back by half an hour, to 8:55 p.m. ET. Then it was hit with another 10-minute delay and scheduled to kick off at 9:05 p.m.

NFL games, reliably among the most-watched broadcasts on TV, rarely see delays, and Thursday’s push-back had fans expressing dismay on social media.

“We wait all year for football and kickoff gets delayed,” one user wrote.

Fans at the game:
The National Weather Service is forecasting that our current weather pattern may contain some severe conditions, including lighting and gusty winds.

We ask that you do not remain in the open seating area. Take cover along the stadium concourses.

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 7, 2018

Well we wanted to rain on your parade, @Eagles, but this is ridiculous. ????

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 7, 2018

the lightning was supposed to be a metaphor https://t.co/2pmfuPnIqs

— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 7, 2018

Live look at @_JohnGonz waiting for this game to start. #NFLKickoff pic.twitter.com/LqYSEjc1q6

– The Ringer (@ringer) September 7, 2018

No, raining on the @Eagles #NFLKickoff is not an arrestable offense. Raining on our parade, though? Yeah – that would have been! Stay safe, folks – that banner is still going up! pic.twitter.com/po5JGoiUpO

– Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) September 7, 2018

Read original story NFL Kickoff Game on NBC Delayed Due to ‘Severe’ Weather At TheWrap