The NFL is looking for potential replacement venues for Super Bowl LVI and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home to the Dallas Cowboys, is on the list.
The 2022 Super Bowl is still on track to be played at SoFi Stadium — home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers — in Inglewood, California, but due to COVID-19 restrictions in California, the NFL has eyes on a different location — just in case, according to WFAA.
A source who works with the Dallas Cowboys said there are preliminary discussions about using AT&T Stadium as an "emergency site" if COVID-19 restrictions in California "create problems," according to WFAA.
"The league did inquire about a date if (the) stadium is available. But that’s all I’ve ever heard. They could be just covering all options just in case," the source said.
An NFL spokesman told WFAA that backup venues are a conversation every year.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is totally on board with hosting the Super Bowl in Texas, he said in a tweet Thursday.
"Texas is 100% OPEN. We would welcome the NFL & their fans to the Lone Star State," Abbott said.
But despite the possibility of needing a backup venue, Super Bowl LVI is scheduled to go on as planned.
“We plan on playing Super Bowl LVI as scheduled at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13. 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. Our planning process for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles is ahead of schedule and we look forward to hosting the Super Bowl there to culminate another fantastic NFL season for our fans and clubs," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.