The heaters and coats matter. Your sweat will freeze if you don't stay active and will lower your core temperature very fast. As much as there are "tough guys" out that scoff at the warmth and technology, it helps.
NFL.com THE FROZEN CONUNDRUM
http://www.nfl.com/features/freakonomics/episode-12
So even though it's a bit harder to complete passes and kick field goals in colder weather, NFL teams end up scoring just about the same number of points. Why? One good reason might be technology: Players' gear and uniforms, field surfaces, and toasty benches probably help compensate for the harsh natural conditions.
We also wondered if cold- and warm-weather teams draft players based on whether they played at cold- or warm-weather colleges. In short, the answer is no. (See the graphic for details.) I guess with the multitude of factors that teams need to consider when making a draft pick, the question of whether your guy is more acclimated to heat or chill just doesn't register as very important.
That could change, obviously, if someone ever compiled evidence that, for instance, cold-weather college players end up performing better for cold-weather teams than warm-weather college players do.
One wrinkle worth considering: Certain position players are indeed much more likely than others to come from warm- or cold-weather colleges.
At least now we know why offensive linemen love to wear short sleeves even in 20-below weather: They're used to it! I bet they're pretty good at ice fishing, too.
NY Times: In Extreme Cold, Accurate Passes Are the Least of the Body’s Worries
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/s...p-passes-are-least-of-bodys-worries.html?_r=0
“On the coldest days, I have to stand and put my hands by the heaters,” Giants center David Baas said. “Otherwise I can’t feel my fingertips when I snap the ball.”
That loss of feeling, said Adam Bennett, a primary care sports medicine physician and team doctor for the Chicago Bears, is related the body’s natural inclination to protect its most vital parts. Essentially, the body is more concerned with keeping Eli Manning’s liver — or kidneys or heart — functioning properly than with ensuring that his fingers are supple enough to throw a screen pass with just the right amount of touch.
“When it is cold, your body tends to shunt blood away from your extremities,” Bennett said in a telephone interview. “It tries to keep your blood central, around the organs. It wants to conserve heat there. So your fingers can go numb a little faster and your toes can go numb a little faster.”
Fox Sports: Tricks of the trade for playing in a freezing game in Green Bay
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/...laying-in-a-freezing-game-in-green-bay-010214
No matter the conditions, I learned I had to get out there and warm up my body and kick-start my metabolism. You have to run and keep moving in order to increase your body temperature. That is the only way to truly keep warm for winter-condition games outdoors. The benches with heaters blowing and puffy jackets are also key as they insulate that initial sweat that you get going and help you keep that body warmth. Its like the ember that starts the fire and you need to maintain it.
Military Study from 1988
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a192650.pdf
Ask An Expert: How will cold weather affect athletes’ performance during the Super Bowl?
http://blog.suny.edu/2014/02/ask-an...t-athletes-performance-during-the-super-bowl/
