Heated Sidelines Have Evolved Over The Years in the NFL

You have seen the pictures, you have seen the video, time after time, players looking like they are freezing on the sidelines during football games in the NFL.

These images of what cold weather looks like in the NFL become more and more prevalent as the weather begins to change each Fall.

Now personally, you would never find me out in weather below 50 degrees trying to do any activity, but these football players are bread just a bit differently than yours truly.

Now back in the day, you would see big heaters on the sideline, guys huddled around them instead of sitting on a freezing cold bench.

Now today, things are much different.

Prior to the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers game at TCF Bank Stadium, I wondered over to the sideline to see what the conditions were for the players these days.

So what did I find? I found these.

As you look, you will see a floor mat, that floor mat has constant heat funneling up through out the game as its funneled up from the heating mechanisms behind the bench.

The floor mats aren't the only thing that is producing heat for the players to stay warm during the game.  The actual benches are heated as well.

A lot of cold weather NFL stadiums are set up this way with his exact set up, while others have variations.

At Lambeau Field, I was told by a member of their staff on the sideline that they just have the heated seats and don't have the floor mats.

Either way, I think this is awesome.  From a persons perspective who gets cold when its 49 degrees out, this to me makes all kinds of sense.

It's not the old school mentality that many old school players and coaches once had, but regardless of what used to be done, this is the way it should be done.