In a scorching twist for Sunday’s game, the NFL has denied the San Francisco 49ers’ request to wear white uniforms for their home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, despite a blistering heatwave gripping the Bay Area. With temperatures set to soar past 100 degrees in Santa Clara, the 49ers will be forced to stick to their traditional red home uniforms, much to their dismay.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed the team’s attempt to switch to cooler, all-white uniforms during a press conference on Friday. Unfortunately for the 49ers, the NFL shot down their request, citing league rules that require uniform changes to be approved before the season starts. With game day fast approaching, there was no room for flexibility.
“We got the memo earlier in the week that it was going to be hot like this. So we asked on Monday, and we weren’t allowed to do it,” Shanahan explained. “We’ll get as much white on as possible. The most we can possibly do is white pants.”
The conditions will be brutal
While the Cardinals will be donning their pre-approved all-white uniforms, giving them a slight edge against the blistering heat, the 49ers will be stuck sweating it out in their usual red and gold.
The league’s uniform guidelines dictate that the home team selects its uniform color first, and the opposing team adjusts accordingly. Because San Francisco didn’t request the change before the season, the Cardinals are cleared to rock white jerseys, leaving the 49ers no wiggle room.
The heat has prompted warnings from the National Weather Service, with temperatures expected to hover in the high 90s to low 100s during the game, which kicks off at 1:05 p.m.-the peak heat of the day.
Shanahan has acknowledged the brutal conditions, suggesting that some players may need pre-game IVs to stay hydrated, though he’s hesitant to enforce that option just yet.
Alternative solutions
“Each person is different. Sometimes, when you push IVs, people think they don’t have to hydrate at all. But we’re not preaching that yet,”Kyle Shanahan noted. “A lot of our guys do it in these situations anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised if more are doing it this Sunday.”
Looking ahead, Shanahan hinted that the 49ers may consider switching to all-white uniforms for home games during the hotter months in future seasons, adding, “It’s not usually this hot, but we’ll probably plan for it now just in case.”
As the Niners prepare to battle the Cardinals and the heat, all eyes will be on how the players cope in their sweat-inducing red jerseys-while the NFL’s rulebook remains unmoved by the sizzling temperatures.
