The wet weather in the Greater Cincinnati region this week has caused a lot of delays and cancellations with tens of thousands dealing with power outages. More rain and storms are forecast in the evening of Aug. 13 when the Cincinnati Bengals are set to host the Detroit Lions in their first preseason game at Paycor Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The weather could delay the game or force the National Football League to cancel it altogether. Bengals Detroit Lions preseason Is the Bengals' preseason game on TV? Time, channel for Bengals-Lions Bengals Detroit Lions preseason Interesting storylines to watch as Bengals begin preseason games Because it is a preseason game and not a regular-season or playoff contest that would need to be made up, the NFL is more likely to cancel the game instead of postponing it to a future date if the weather is bad enough. The league did so with the 2024 Hall of Fame Game in Canton. If that happens, the team may issue refunds to all ticketholders and will announce those plans after the cancellation. The Bengals' next preseason game is Aug. 22 at Paycor against Chicago.
As is standard in outdoor sporting events, the game will be delayed for a minimum of 30 minutes if there is a lightning strike spotted with 10 miles of Paycor Stadium. If heavy rain makes the field unplayable, officials could also delay the game. The Bengals will update fans on conditions and procedures on the scoreboards in Paycor Stadium and on social media. Under the NFL Rulebook (scroll to Rule 17), a game can be delayed if it is “imminently threatened” by an emergency, including severe weather, flooding, lightning or power issues. Multiple Bengals practices have been delayed or moved indoors since the beginning of training camp due to rain and lightning. Have any Bengals games been delayed by weather? Weather has affected several NFL games in recent years. The 2025 NFL Kickoff Game between Dallas and Philadelphia was delayed by lightning. The Buffalo Bills have had two games affected since 2022 due to heavy snowstorms in the area . A 2022 regular-season game was moved to Detroit and a 2024 playoff game was postponed one day. Of course, Bengals fans will remember the home game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 2, 2023 that was canceled and not resumed after an onfield medical emergency to Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. Hamlin is sponsoring scholarships for Cincinnati students. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to expect if weather delays Bengals preseason game vs. Detroit