National Football League

Browns-Bills moved to Detroit amid looming snowstorm

Updated Nov. 18, 2022 2:56 a.m. ET

With a major snowstorm expected to dump multiple feet of snow in western and upstate New York this weekend, the NFL announced Thursday that Sunday's Cleveland Browns-Buffalo Bills matchup has been moved to Detroit's Ford Field, home of the Lions. The game will still kick off at 1 p.m. ET.

The area surrounding the Bills' Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park is expected to be hit with a lake-effect snowstorm that could drop upwards of four feet of snow beginning Thursday night and through Saturday, potentially bringing travel to a standstill in parts of New York state, namely the Buffalo metro area.

On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a State of Emergency for portions of upstate New York, including the Buffalo area, to be in effect Thursday morning through Sunday evening.

The NFL has been monitoring weather around Buffalo ahead of Sunday's action and remained in communication with both clubs, per NFL Network. Rescheduling the tilt was unlikely, given that the Bills play four days later on Thanksgiving in Detroit (12:30 p.m. ET).

The last time a game was moved out of Buffalo due to weather was Week 12 of the 2014 NFL season, and the league made the decision to move the game on Thursday of that week.