Cardinals rush to close State Farm Stadium roof after unexpected hail in second quarter

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It does rain in the desert.

The Arizona Cardinals announced Saturday that State Farm Stadium’s retractable roof would be open for Sunday’s Week 9 game against the Chicago Bears. It turned out that was a lapse in judgment.  

Hail unexpectedly started pouring down from the sky during the second quarter, impacting the grass field. Some fans inside the stadium looked up in disbelief, and others walked toward the stadium bowl for cover.

The Cardinals’ stadium staff decided to close the roof, which took roughly 10 minutes to shut completely, as the game continued.

The roof closed with just under four minutes remaining in the second quarter.

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