"It doesn't have to be warm": Vikings fans brave cold ahead of winter stretch

MINNEAPOLIS -- Fans in the tailgate lots braved the elements ahead of Sunday's home matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets.

Temps were still in the single digits as the sun rose over downtown.

"It's insane," said Vikings fan David Henry, who flew in for the game from Phoenix. "Not very comfortable right now [laughs]! I'm freezing my butt off. My toes are frozen, but it's fun."

Henry, along with a group of friends, did their best to embrace the cold.

"You can do a lot of fun things when it's cold out," said Lisa Tiegen of Vadnais Heights. "It doesn't have to be warm to have fun."

For weekly tailgaters, the setup is down to a science. Mike Carlson and his crew assembled a multi-tent structure, complete with space heaters and hot food.

"It's a virtual sweat lodge," Carlson said. "Talking about layering and stuff, pretty soon we're all just going to start de-layering stuff while we're in here."

For those outside the tent, staying warm comes down to layering and creating heat.

"Layers and handwarmers," said Lindsey Lorentson of Rosemount. "Lots and lots of handwarmers. That I get started before I even leave the house."

Regardless of the cold, fans say they're happy to do what it takes to continue supporting their winning team.

"It's football, plain and simple," said Aaron Lang of North St. Paul. "That's the most important thing. We're here to support this team." 

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