Considering it is the biggest football game of the year, the Super Bowl is never played in “football weather.” Crazy precipitation, muddy fields, visible breaths from players in the cold – those elements are saved for the end of the regular season and the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Once it comes time to crown a champion, the NFL pins its two contending teams at neutral sites with hopes of an even playing field. Oftentimes the Super Bowl is played in a warm weather city like Miami or Tampa Bay. Other Super Bowls have been held in the controlled environment of a dome.
That will be the case once again for Super Bowl LVII, as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will face off in the controlled conditions at State Farm Stadium.
With the Eagles and Chiefs preparing for their showdown in the desert, let’s look back at some times where Super Bowl teams had to deal with cooler weather.
What is the coldest Super Bowl in NFL history?
Remember when the NFL hosted the Super Bowl in New York? Turns out that actually isn’t the coldest Super Bowl of all time.
The NFL gambled when it decided to hold Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. East Rutherford, N.J., isn’t exactly known for its balmy winters, but Mother Nature actually came through for the game. It was a mild 49 degrees at kickoff for the Seattle Seahawks’ beatdown of the Denver Broncos. That was followed up by more than a half-foot of snow the next day.
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The two coldest Super Bowls in league history actually came in the bayou. Tulane Stadium in New Orleans hosted three editions in a six-year span, and the first two were surprisingly chilly.
Here’s a look at the 10 coldest Super Bowls based on kickoff temperature:
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1. Super Bowl VI: New Orleans, Tulane Stadium, 39 degrees
2. Super Bowl IX: New Orleans, Tulane Stadium, 46 degrees
3. Super Bowl XLVIII: East Rutherford, MetLife Stadium, 49 degrees
4. Super Bowl VIII: Houston, Rice Stadium, 50 degrees
5. Super Bowl XIX: Stanford, Stanford Stadium, 53 degrees
6. Super Bowl X: Miami, Orange Bowl, 57 degrees
7. Super Bowl XI: Pasadena, Rose Bowl, 58 degrees
8. Super Bowl XXXIX: Jacksonville, Alltel Stadium, 59 degrees
9. Super Bowl XLIV: Miami Gardens, Sun Life Stadium, 60 degrees
T-10. Super Bowls IV, XVII, XXII and XXVII: 60 degrees
What was the coldest day in Super Bowl history?
It was 2 degrees in Minneapolis when Super Bowl LII kicked off between the New England Patriots and the Eagles. Luckily for spectators and the two teams, it was a comfortable 70 degrees inside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Has it ever snowed during the Super Bowl?
It has never snowed during a Super Bowl.
The closest call came with the snow in New York the day after Super Bowl XLVIII. There was also an ice storm in Atlanta ahead of Super Bowl XXXIV, snow in Detroit the day of Super Bowl XL and snow in Dallas just days before Super Bowl XLV. Snow wouldn’t have played a factor as all three games were played indoors.
