SANTA CLARA – Record heat at Levi’s Stadium is prompting the 49ers to proactively seek relief for their players and fans at Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Levi’s Stadium has never hosted a game with a kickoff temperature above 88 degrees. That record, in an Oct. 3, 2021 loss to Seattle, will fall if the kickoff temperature indeed hits 95 degrees, as forecast on Weather.com.
The 49ers practiced Friday with temperatures in the high 80s, after temperatures in the 90s baked their workouts the previous two days.
The 49ers petitioned the NFL to switch into an all-white uniform, but coach Kyle Shanahan said they learned such a switch was not allowed once the season was underway. However, the 49ers can instead don white pants instead of gold ones with their red jerseys.
When the 49ers announced their four uniform looks in July, that “red classic” look was to only be worn in home games against Dallas (Oct. 27) and Detroit (Dec. 30). They’re scheduled to wear their all-white throwbacks only once, in Thursday’s visit to Seattle. Shanahan said they will make a concerted effort to wear all-whites at the start of future seasons’ home games.
“This October heat has stepped up and grabbed us here,” general manager John Lynch said. “… We appreciate our fans and we will try to do everything to make their experience great. Putting good football out there helps, so if they’re going to be out there in the sun, they’re at least enjoying it.
“We’ll account for having everything possible out there for our players. It is going to be toasty out there on Sunday.”
Shanahan expects more players than usual to request intravenous fluids before kickoff but that the team still is imploring players to hydrate ahead of time.
Here are the hottest kickoff temperatures at Levi’s Stadium since it opened in 2014:
88 degrees: Oct. 3, 2021 vs. Seahawks, 28-21 loss
87: Sept. 10, 2017 vs. Panthers, 23-3 loss
87: Oct. 7, 2019 vs. Browns, 31-3 win
86: Oct. 18, 2020 vs. LA Rams, 24-16 win
85: Oct. 5, 2014 vs. Chiefs, 22-17 loss
84: Oct. 4, 2020 vs. Eagles, 25-20 loss
82: Nov. 1, 2018 vs. Raiders, 34-3 win
“I feel like every time (at Levi’s), the sun’s hitting, it’s a beautiful green, it’s exciting to be out there,” said Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray told Arizona reporters Wednesday. He hasn’t played in their past three visits after losing his initial appearance in 2019 (36-26, 72 degrees) and winning in 2020 (24-20, 66 degrees).
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel, a South Carolina native, is not sweating that heat, saying: “I’m from the South, man. It’s no problem. We’ll be alright. But 90 degrees is still hot.”
Levi’s Stadium’s parking lots are set to open at 9:35 a.m. Sunday. Fans are allowed to enter the stadium at 10:05 a.m. for those with tickets in club and suite sections, 11:05 a.m. for all others.
Aside from drinking fountains throughout the stadium, six water-refill stations are located near sections 101, 110, 120, 125, 127, and 322. Fans are permitted to bring in plastic water bottles (factory sealed) and reusable, transparent bottles that are less than 24 ounces and contain no alcohol. Also allowed in are hand-powered misters, sunscreen and umbrellas that do not obstruct other fans’ view.