The teams had been scheduled to play at noon Sunday. The game was pushed back to Monday night when Saturday’s blizzard kept the Giants from flying intoo Minneapolis. But after the Teflon roof collapsed overnight, the commission that runs the Metrodome told the NFL that the stadium wouldn’t be ready for a game Monday or Tuesday.
The NFL said it was considering moving the game to the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium or to another NFL domed stadium, spokesman Greg Aiello said.
Bill Lester, executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said a crew that had been working to clear snow off the roof was pulled off late Saturday night due to safety concerns.
“There were no injuries, which we’re thankful for,” Lester said.
The city got 17.1 inches (43.4 centimeters) of snow during the storm that started Friday night and ended around 10 p.m. Saturday, said James McQuirter, a National Weather Service meteorologist. He said the storm was one of the five largest to hit the Twin Cities. Some surrounding communities got more than 21 inches (53.3 centimeters) of snow, he said.
The Metrodome roof has failed three times before. It deflated in 1981, 1982 and 1983, each time due to tears caused by heavy snow. The April 14, 1983, collapse forced the postponement of the Twins’ major league baseball game with California, which had been the only postponement. A slight tear also delayed a Twins game briefly in 1986.
