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The Super Bowl stadiums and times they hosted the game can roughly be broken down into three eras:
ERA 1 - Old College (or Olympic) Stadiums
Every one of the first 11 Super Bowls was played in a stadium that was at least 20 years old at the time it was played. In fact, all but one of the stadiums was at least 30 years old at the time it (first) held the Super Bowl. All of these stadiums were built prior to an NFL (or AFL) team moving to or coming into existence in the city.
*Los Angeles Coliseum - Super Bowls 1, 7
*Orange Bowl (Miami) - Super Bowls 2, 3, 5, 10
*Tulane Stadium (New Orleans) - Super Bowls 4, 6, 9
*Rice Stadium (Houston) - Super Bowl 8
*Rose Bowl (Pasadena/Los Angeles) - Super Bowl 11
ERA 2 - Transition from Old College Stadiums to New Pro Stadiums
Between Super Bowl 12 (held after the 1977 season) and Super Bowl 30 (held after the 1995 season), the NFL gradually shifted from playing in outdated, college stadiums built in the mid-1960s or earlier that primarily had bleacher-style seating (sometimes with backs, sometimes without backs) to much more modern, mostly football-only stadiums built after the mid-1960s that primarily had stadium-style seating. The more modern stadiums were often built specifically to accommodate or retain home market NFL teams.
Older, college stadiums:
*Orange Bowl (Miami) - Super Bowl 13
*Rose Bowl (Pasadena/Los Angeles) - Super Bowls 14, 17, 21, 27
*Tampa Stadium - Super Bowls 18, 25
*Stanford Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area) - Super Bowl 19
*Sun Devil Stadium (Tempe/Phoenix) - Super Bowl 30
Newer, pro stadiums (current names used):
*Superdome (New Orleans) - Super Bowls 12, 15, 20, 24
*Silverdome (Pontiac/Detroit) - Super Bowl 16
*Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego) - Super Bowl 22
*Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens/Miami) - Super Bowls 23, 29
*Metrodome (Minneapolis) - Super Bowl 26
*Georgia Dome (Atlanta) - Super Bowl 28
ERA 3 - Pro Football Palaces
Every Super Bowl since Super Bowl 31 (after the 1996 season) has been played in a modern stadium built since the mid-1960s; in fact since the post-2003 season Super Bowl (38) every Super Bowl except one has been played in a stadium built since the mid-1980s. In most cases the stadium was less than 20 years old at the time it held the game. All of these stadiums were built primarily to serve as the home of NFL teams.
*Superdome (New Orleans) - Super Bowls 31, 36, 47
*Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego) - Super Bowls 32, 37
*Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens/Miami) - Super Bowls 33, 41, 44
*Georgia Dome (Atlanta) - Super Bowl 34
*Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) - Super Bowls 35, 43
*NRG Stadium (Houston) - Super Bowl 38
*EverBank Field (Jacksonville) - Super Bowl 39
*Ford Field (Detroit) - Super Bowl 40
*University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale/Phoenix) - Super Bowls 42, 49
*AT&T Stadium (Arlington/Dallas) - Super Bowl 45
*Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) - Super Bowl 46
*MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford/New York) - Super Bowl 48
It should be noted only three stadiums that were not being used as NFL stadiums at the time the Super Bowl was played there have ever hosted the Super Bowl:
*Rice Stadium (1 time - it was the Houston Oilers' home field between 1965 and 1967, before Super Bowl 8 was played there after the 1973 season)
*Rose Bowl (5 times - but not since 1992)
*Stanford Stadium (1 time - after the 1984 season)
With the Super Bowl being played at Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay area this year, Stanford Stadium loses its distinction as the only non-NFL stadium to serve as the only site in its metropolitan area to host a Super Bowl.
And I was surprised when I read it, not that I doubt you, but I did go back and check the list of winners! I always find looking at the SB winners interesting!
In 10 of the last 11 Super Bowls, the winner wore white uniforms! Go Broncos! The Packers went with green and gold, worked for them!
The betting line during super bowl week was the highest ever. At one point it went to 21 but settled down by Sunday to Baltimore being an 18 point pick.
Quote from Howard Cosell--"Big Bubba (Bubba Smith) will break Joe Willie's legs today".
The one guy the Colts actually feared was Don Maynard. By this time Don was in his 11th season and actually is famous for being the first player to recive a kickoff in a sudden death overtime in an NFL Championship game (1958--Colts/Giants). Maynard had a great day against Oakland in the Jets/Raiders AFL Championship game. He caught 6 passes for 118 yards for 2 touchdowns. On his last td pass he was playing with a severely pulled hamstring. Weeb Ewbank kept that quiet for all of SB week. Maynard played the whole game. Didn't catch one pass in the game. Not one. Still he ran several deep routes and on passing situations he was always double teamed. George Sauer on the other hand put up great numbers. he caught 8 passes for 133 yards.
According to Will McDonough, one of the great sports writers ever, said in the ESPN Sports Century bio on Joe Namath, which broadcasted in 2000, that Namath called virtually the whole game himself.
There was a reason why Baltimore didn't score until 3:19 left in the game. The Jets defensive coaches did their homework. One of them was Walt Michaels. The other was Buddy Ryan. That was Buddy's first pro team he coached for. According to Rex Ryan in America's Game-the 1968 NY Jets, Rex has said that SB-III ring is the only ring Buddy wears.
Despite being shut out for 46 minutes, the Colts actually moved the ball all right but the problem was turnovers-4 interceptions and the fumble by Tom Matte in the 3rd quarter.
SB MVP was Joe Namath of course, but a case could be made for Matt Snell who ran for 121 yards and the one touchdown. Joe's personal recommendation for MVP was guard Dave Herman who was lined up to block Bubba Smith, at that time the best NFL lineman going. Cosell-"Big Bubba will break Joe Willie's legs today." Uhuh.
Shortest field goal in NFL history--a 9 yarder by Jim Turner. It was also one of the toughest. At that time in pro football history the hash marks were quite a bit wider back then and Turner's margin for error was SMALL. That fg made the situation a 3 score game.
One of the most memorable Super Bowls I ever saw--Super Bowl III
Hey, Dave Herman probably had to deal with the excellent, even bigger Ernie "the Big Cat" Ladd and Buck Buchanan during his AFL career, so he could handle Bubba Smith too (though Smith was genuinely a great NFL player for a few years).
I do know from reading books and other stories about Super Bowl III that Herman was concerned about the challenge posed by Smith, but he proved to be up to it.
Incidentally, objectively-speaking I think Matt Snell should have been the MVP of that Super Bowl. On an unrelated note, Snell, who I believe was from the New York area and grew up a Giants fan, was the subject of the first true draft pick war between the Jets and Giants.
Hey, Dave Herman probably had to deal with the excellent, even bigger Ernie "the Big Cat" Ladd and Buck Buchanan during his AFL career, so he could handle Bubba Smith too (though Smith was genuinely a great NFL player for a few years).
I do know from reading books and other stories about Super Bowl III that Herman was concerned about the challenge posed by Smith, but he proved to be up to it.
Incidentally, objectively-speaking I think Matt Snell should have been the MVP of that Super Bowl. On an unrelated note, Snell, who I believe was from the New York area and grew up a Giants fan, was the subject of the first true draft pick war between the Jets and Giants.
A lot of AFL scribes felt the same way about Snell. Snell came out of Ohio State and was on Woody Hayes list of the best players he ever had. At that time of the history of the NY Giants they were getting old and getting irrelevant, sad to say. From 1961 to 1963 they were in the NFL Championship game. I was surprised when the Jets signed Snell away from Wellington Mara and the Giants. That was indeed a big victory over the NFL regarding signing a #1 draft pick!
Joined at the hip with Dave Herman would be offensive tackle Bob Talamini. Talamini played his whole career with the Houston Oilers and late in the 1968 season the Jets acquired him. The guy who was benched was rookie tackle Sam Walton who sadly didn't work out for the Jets. Namath was sacked twice in the game for 10 yards and IIRC they were coverage sacks.
Ernie Ladd. Gawd, he was a huge dude! He was at odds with Sid Gilman of the Chargers virtually his whole time with San Diego over one issue--money. He actually finished his career with Kansas City and earned a super bowl ring as part of the 1969 Chief team. Ladd had an extra card that he played regarding money, he got into wrestling for the next decade and did very well, thank you.
The NFL was asleep at the switch with Buck Buchanan. The reason I say that is he was a 19th round draft choice by the Detroit Lions in the 1963 draft. Meanwhile Kansas City drafted him #1. Figure THAT one out. Like San Diego, Kansas City was ahead of the curve regarding African-American players. Buchanan went to Grambling and at that time they were an NAIA school. KC back then had employed a scout by the name of Lloyd Wells. Wells knew about the talent of black colleges in the South. By 1969 the starting defensive lineup of the Chiefs was made up of 8 African American players-eight. And Buchanan was as athletic as they came. He was 6 ft. 7 inches, weighed 267 pounds and in training camp was timed in the 100 yard dash at 10.2 seconds. Buchanan is listed as #67 in the top 100 players in NFL history.
Double H......or anyone else who calls Namath "Joe Willie".....Here's one for you:
Name the four Jets who sang, "Well, I used to play the Grease Bowl but I was just a kid...."
heh heh, got a SOOPRIZE for ya!
I'll name one right now who I got to meet after his Bronco career concluded before the 1980 season began, he went to school at Utah State, played for John Ralston (who after winning back to back Rose Bowl victories with Stanford in 1970 and 1971) became the Broncos head coach in 1972. He became a disc jockey in the Denver area in 1981 and co-hosted "Sports Superstars" on KNUS 710 AM. With him was former Bronco wide receiver Mike Haffner and for a time a NHL hockey coach who was the head coach of the NHL Colorado Rockies. That would be Don Cherry (his nickname was grapes.) Jim had his own show on the station for years, then when KOA offered him a position, he took it, doing the same thing. Over the last several years he has been working as a counselor at Jeffco High School in the Denver area.
There were two Turners involved. The one I'm referring to is Jim!
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I always find looking at the SB winners interesting!
