Bills vs. Browns weather updates: Operation Get to Detroit is successful as the Bills use snowmobiles and more to get to Detroit

A massive storm system is approaching the Northeast, and forecasts are calling for snow totals of anywhere from three to six feet to hit the Buffalo over the next few days. Forecasters are also calling for the potential of “thundersnow,” with the system already delivering that meteorological phenomenon in Northeast Ohio on Thursday morning.

As luck would have it, the Buffalo Bills are scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns this weekend, with kickoff currently scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

With a storm of this magnitude approaching, the NFL is beginning to explore options for the game. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the league is “monitoring” the storm, and is in contact with both the Browns and the Bills, as well as local officials in Buffalo.

On Sunday morning, the Bills social media team shared a video of just what it took to get the team to Detroit, including snowmobiles, snow plows, some help from neighbors, and more:

The NFL made the decision earlier this week to move the game to Detroit which, given the amount of snow that hit the Buffalo area, seems like the right decision.

Now the challenge facing the Bills? Getting their players to the airport.

As the Buffalo area digs out from the massive storm, Bills players are among those clearing out driveways and sidewalks, and there is a concern that some players might not be able to get to the airport to travel to Detroit:

Our friends at Buffalo Rumblings posted this thread of Bills players trying to clear out from the storm, as well as playing in the snow with their families:

Former Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood shared photos from 2014, when members of the Buffalo community used snowmobiles to get players to the airport, and to Detroit for another game that was moved out of Buffalo:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday afternoon that all the Bills players and coaches made it to the airport, and the team was en route to Detroit to take on the Browns:

According to a report from Tim Graham, who covers the Bills for The Athletic, a decision has been made to move the game to Detroit’s Ford Field:

Tom Pelissero from the NFL Network confirmed the move as well:

The Bills confirmed the move on social media Thursday afternoon:

On Friday, the Bills held virtual practices, due to the weather in the Buffalo area:

Current forecasts anticipate between two-to-four inches of snow falling per hour from Thursday night through Friday night in the Buffalo area:

This is not the first time than an NFL game has been relocated due to weather, nor the first time that snow was the cause for a game being moved. During the 2010 season, a severe December storm in Minnesota led to the collapse of the inflatable roof atop the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

The collapse of the roof forced the NFL to adjust the schedule for the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. The roof collapsed on Sunday morning, but because of the snowstorm the NFL had already moved the game to Monday night, due to concerns from local and stadium officials. But with the collapse of the roof, the game was moved to Ford Field in Detroit, and still played on Monday night.

The Vikings had one more home game scheduled that season, for later in December against the Chicago Bears. That game was moved to TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Later that month, a game scheduled for Sunday night between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Vikings was moved to Tuesday, due to a snowstorm in Philadelphia. This set up a strange set of circumstances where the Eagles were able to clinch the NFC East while watching from their couches, as the Green Bay Packers beat the Giants that Sunday while the Eagles were home watching on TV.

The most recent NFL game moved due to snow was, in fact, a Bills’ game. During the 2014 season, a snowstorm forced the league to move the Bills’ game against the New York Jets to Detroit.

At the time of the move, league officials cited concerns over public safety: “As mentioned earlier today, public safety resources in western New York must be fully available to deal with the recovery from the storm. We continue our discussions with the team and the Red Cross on ways the NFL can support the community through this weather disaster.”

Why is Detroit the choice in this situation as well? The Lions are on a bye this week, and the Bills actually play in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. Theoretically, the Bills could stay in Detroit if conditions prevent them from returning to Buffalo after Sunday’s game.

This story will be updated as more information is provided from the NFL.