Reporterette's Cringe Question to Tampa Bay Coach on Playing at Ford Field - and His Reaction - Go Viral

There's not a person on this planet who has not made a mistake at some point in their lives, some big, some small, some that only they know about, and some that were discovered by others and which were called out.

But for most of us, when we make a mistake it's not caught on camera, certainly not something that could be broadcast on TV and/or go viral on social media.

Unfortunately for one member of the sports media, though, that's exactly what happened after she asked a question of Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles regarding weather conditions that were forecast for their NFL playoff game against the Detroit Lions, which is scheduled for Sunday at 3 pm Eastern Time at Ford Field in the Motor City.

READ--> RedState Sports Report: NFL Finally Finishes First Playoffs Weekend

It'll be cold Sunday in Detroit, with temperatures not expected to get above the low to mid-20s. There is also likely to be snow and ice on the ground:

It's another winter weather day in metro Detroit with several inches of snow expected Thursday and Friday, primarily in the mornings.

Full FOX 2 Weather Authority forecast - https://t.co/ZKTjwcjgF7 #snow #weather #detroit #metrodetroit pic.twitter.com/uGLLkALIL7
— FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) January 18, 2024

During a Tuesday press conference, the as-yet-unnamed reporterette asked Bowles how he was going to get his team, which is used to playing in (mostly) sunny Florida, prepared to play in such conditions:

“Coach, looking forward towards Detroit, the weather has been a factor in some of the playoff games, even for the most prepared teams. Today, it’s 13 in Detroit, which doesn't compare to some of the temperatures [around the league]. Any special plans to acclimate the team to not only endure but perform in those kind of frigid temperatures should you face [the Lions] in Detroit?”

The problem with the question, though, is that Ford Field is a domed stadium, meaning no snow and ice on the ground. Further, it's also climate-controlled.

Bowles seemed momentarily perplexed by the question but handled it well.

“You do know we play indoors, right? They got a dome," he responded. After a brief pause, he went on. "I don’t... no, nothing planned. We’re indoors and only have to be outside for 20 seconds, getting off the bus, going under the thing, so we’ll be okay.”

Watch:

Oh no… A reporter asked #Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles about how the team is preparing to get acclimated to the weather in Detroit ahead of Sunday’s game.

The Lions have played in a dome for nearly 50 years. pic.twitter.com/O9cHduRKCN
— Dave Connelly (@DaveConnellySG) January 16, 2024

Though we couldn't see the reactions of some of the other reporters to the cringe moment, there were of course plenty to be found on the Twitter machine:

Actual photos from the Detroit Lions’ final season playing their home games outdoors.

Don’t be so judgmental.

These look like they were taken yesterday. pic.twitter.com/WIxz0xZb71
— Justin Spiro (@DarkoStateNews) January 17, 2024

"Sunday you’ll be facing lions. These are notoriously dangerous beasts weighing up to 450 pounds. How are you preparing for this tilt?" quipped another.

Though the reporter has undoubtedly taken heat from colleagues in addition to sports fans, I'm inclined to show some grace. It happens. I suspect the next time around, though, she'll be fully prepared if for no other reason than to not see anything she's asked go viral for all the reasons a reporter doesn't want them to.