The Super Bowl is a month away and there is a serious surge in COVID-19 cases around the entire country. This surge has prompted the NFL to look for replacement venues in case COVID-19 restrictions impact the game.
According to the WFAA, the NFL has reached out to the Dallas Cowboys about using AT&T Stadium as a backup venue. A Cowboys source confirmed this news, stating that the NFL has engaged in preliminary talks about potentially using the venue.
“The league did inquire about a date if [the] stadium is available,” the source said. “But that’s all I’ve ever heard. They could be just covering all options just in case.”
A source with the City of Arlington stated that city officials “proactively and independently sent a message to the NFL in mid-December as COVID case counts began to spike as a result of the Omicron variant, stating that Arlington stands ready to step in and host the game if necessary.”
NFL spokesperson, Brian McCarthy, confirmed that they are looking into possible backup venues, they also stated that its just a part of the NFL’s “standard contingency planning process,” and that they still plan on holding Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
“We plan on playing Super Bowl 56 as scheduled at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 13,” said McCarthy. “As part of our standard contingency planning process that we conduct for all regular and postseason games, we have contacted several clubs to inquire about stadium availability in the event we cannot play the Super Bowl as scheduled due to weather-related issues or unforeseen circumstances.”