With Super Bowl LVI (that’s 56, by the way) fast approaching this Sunday, February 13, there remains quite a bit of buzz surrounding the big game. As is the case every year, the Super Bowl is a historic event for sports fans and America alike. It has supplanted its way into the very fabric of American culture since the first one was held in 1967.
To celebrate, we’ve gathered five facts (or interesting tidbits) pertaining to this year’s iteration of the game, which you might not have known.
1) Super Bowl LVI is only the second home Super Bowl ever, and the second in a row
Okay, this fact is something you probably already knew if you’ve followed the NFL over the past couple of years, but it’s still huge. Super Bowl LVI, which will be held Sunday in Los Angeles, is only the second home Super Bowl in history (since the hometown Rams made it into the Super Bowl). The first-ever home Super Bowl occurred just last year, when Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl LV at their home venue, Raymond James Stadium.
Prior to last year, a home Super Bowl had never occurred. In fact, it was so rare that it was viewed as a curse, as teams who called the hosting stadium home had previously gotten close to the Super Bowl, but couldn’t quite get there (we’re looking at you, 2017 Vikings). It’s such a rare feat due to the fact that locations for Super Bowls are chosen years in advance, so in reality, it’s incredibly rare for the team that calls the chosen stadium home to not only make it into the playoffs, but to reach the actual Super Bowl.
But after Brady’s Bucs beat the curse, it’s now happened for a second consecutive year, as the Rams defeated the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game (also in Los Angeles) a few weeks ago. Interestingly, though, the Rams will be classified as the away team, despite playing the game at their home stadium, as the home and away designations for the Super Bowl alter between conferences each year (they will use their home locker rooms, however. Home sweet home!)
2) This could be the hottest Super Bowl in history
Los Angeles is currently experiencing a winter heat wave (typical SoCal stuff), and temperatures are expected to reach into the upper 80s on Sunday. Due to rising temperatures, the National Weather Service could even issue an Excessive Heat Watch for Southern California, including Los Angeles and the Inglewood area where the stadium is located in.
When kickoff for Super Bowl LVI occurs Sunday at 3:30 p.m. PST (6:30 p.m. EST), the temperature is expected to be sunny and about 85ºF, which would make it the hottest Super Bowl in history. This would break the current record of 84ºF, which was set during Super Bowl VII in 1973 — also in Los Angeles.
And to make matters worse, SoFi Stadium, where Super Bowl LVI will be played, doesn’t even have air conditioning. Yep, you read that right. The shiny new stadium, which only opened in September of 2020, has a roof but features exposed sides, meaning it’s technically an outdoor stadium, and thus lacks air conditioning. These conditions could cause the temperature inside the stadium to be even higher than the outside, causing all the fans who spent an average of $6,500 per ticket to re-evaluate their life choices.
3) This is the latest Super Bowl to ever be played
Super Bowl LVI is scheduled to be played this Sunday, February 13. When that day comes, it will mark the latest Super Bowl to ever be played. Prior to this season, the Super Bowl was always held on the first Sunday of February (and prior to 2002, was held in late January). But due to the NFL adding an additional game in the regular season, which saw the 2021 season extended to 17 games rather than the previous 16, the Super Bowl was pushed back by one week, to the second Sunday in February.
4) This is the first Super Bowl to not feature any top-three seed teams
This fact might not be all that interesting to non-football or non-sports fans, but it’s still a pretty unique fact. Previously, all Super Bowls featured at least one top-seeded team, but this year marks the first time that two teams seeded lower than three will face off. The Rams finished fourth in the NFC with a 12-5 record, while the Bengals finished fourth in the AFC with a 10-7 record. The Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers, the winners of the AFC and NFC, respectively, were both eliminated fairly early in the postseason.
5) Both head coaches are the youngest in Super Bowl history
Super Bowl LVI is set to feature the youngest pair of head coaches in the game’s history. With Rams head coach Sean McVay at age 36, and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor at age 38, they are both the youngest coaches to ever spar off in Super Bowl history. This Super Bowl also marks the first time where the two head coaches are under the age of 40. Take that, Baby Boomers.
Are you excited for Super Bowl LVI? Did you learn any new facts from this article, and who do you think will win the big game? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
