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Photos: Niners fans endure literally the hottest game ever

Temperatures at Levi's Stadium went from 95 degrees at kickoff to 99 by halftime.

A child wearing a red sports jersey and cap holds a blue misting fan, spraying themselves with water. There's a sunny crowd in the background, also dressed in red.
Joaquin Caceres, 10, demonstrates how he plans to use his spray bottle outside of Levi’s Stadium during a record heatwave. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
By The Standard Staff

A heatwave that’s breaking temperature records throughout the Bay Area made for literally the hottest game ever played at Levi’s Stadium with Sunday’s contest between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.

Temperatures at the Santa Clara arena went from 95 degrees at kickoff to 99 degrees by halftime, according to the National Weather Service. Before this weekend, the hottest regular-season game at Levi’s Stadium took place on Oct. 3, 2021, when the 49ers played against the Seattle Seahawks in 88-degree heat.

As punishing as the heat may have felt for the Niners — whose request to swap out gold pants for white was denied by NFL — it may have come as a reprieve for the team they were up against.

As Levi’s Stadium barely teetered toward triple-digit temperatures on Sunday, the Cardinals’ hometown of Glendale, Arizona, baked in 109-degree desert heat.

A child in a red jersey and cap holds a matching umbrella on a sunny sidewalk, with palm trees and parked cars in the background. Nearby, people wear similar sports attire.
Timothy Rosas, 6, shields himself from the sun outside the stadium in Santa Clara. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A man in a red cap and patterned apron prepares food, smiling under a canopy. Behind him, people relax in folding chairs near parked cars.
Ron Aclan prepares an oyster while tailgating outside the stadium, where temperatures broke a previous record by 11 degrees. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A group of people in red sports jerseys and hats walk outdoors on a sunny day. Some are checking their phones, while others chat and smile.
Fans brought umbrellas, hats, and their own water to the scorching venue. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person in a red shirt is wearing a clear backpack, revealing a water bottle, towel, and items labeled "Faithful" with a sports team logo.
A person carries multiple bottle of Gatorade into Levi’s Stadium. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A woman wearing a 49ers jersey and jean shorts drinks from a can at an outdoor event, surrounded by people in red clothing, under a clear blue sky.
Brittany Lariviere shotguns a cold one outside the stadium. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A man in sunglasses applies sunscreen on his arm, standing by an SUV with its trunk open. A boy in a red sports jersey adjusts his cap nearby.
Marc Hedlund slathers himself in sunscreen while his 12-year-old son Benjamin Hedlund dons his hat before the game. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard

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LifeSan Francisco 49ersWeather