The Philadelphia Eagles have taken some big steps backward in trying to win a Super Bowl. In fact, the Eagles may not have a real shot at a championship for some time, especially after blowing their best chances a decade ago. But if Philadelphia can’t win a Super Bowl, it can always host one, or so owner Jeffrey Lurie hopes.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer on March 18, Lurie would pitch to host a future Super Bowl if New Jersey’s much-feared hosting stint succeeds next season. In fact, he has “no fear” if Philadelphia hosts a snowy outdoor Super Bowl, despite how this is the greatest fear around next year’s Super Sunday at East Rutherford.
Ever since the Jets and Giants’ home stadium was chosen to host the 2014 Super Bowl, it has been a high risk proposition. The stadium isn’t a dome, which means if New Jersey is as chilly as it usually is in early February, it could have a big impact on the game. If it happens to rain or snow and affect the outcome, it will put the NFL in a huge crossfire.
In that scenario, the NFL could never let a cold-weather city host the Super Bowl without a dome again. However, if New Jersey skates by without an incident or nasty weather next February -- or at least nasty weather that doesn’t decide who wins -- the NFL would have a case to try this again.
In that scenario, Philadelphia would be an ideal candidate to host a Super Bowl of its own. Lincoln Financial Field is still relatively state of the art, while the city is one of the NFL’s most passionate and Lurie has endless resources to put on a major show. But even if New Jersey avoids the worst weather possible next February, it doesn’t mean Philadelphia would as well.
In any case, most Eagles fans would rather see their team go to a Super Bowl than have one played in Philadelphia first. What's more, if an arch-rival like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants or Washington Redskins play in that Super Bowl or win it, it would rub the Eagles’ failures in even further.
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