Besides California, Florida, and Louisiana, what are the only three other states to have hosted the Super Bowl Game?

While the NFL has overwhelmingly favored the warm climates of Florida, California, and Louisiana for its championship game, a select group of other states have also had the honor of hosting. Texas has become a frequent host, with the city of Houston holding the event three times and Arlington once. The first Super Bowl in Houston was Super Bowl VIII in 1974, held at Rice Stadium. The city later hosted Super Bowls in 2004 and 2017 at the home of the Houston Texans.

A significant shift in hosting occurred when the league decided to award the game to a cold-weather city for the first time. This inaugural northern venture was Super Bowl XVI in 1982, played inside the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. The game featured the San Francisco 49ers beginning their 1980s dynasty with a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. This event proved that a dome could provide a suitable environment, opening the door for other northern cities to host.

Following Michigan's lead, Minnesota welcomed the NFL's title game a decade later. Super Bowl XXVI was held in 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, where the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills. The Metrodome was a unique venue that also hosted a World Series, an MLB All-Star Game, and the NCAA Final Four. The decisions to host the game in Pontiac and Minneapolis demonstrated the league's willingness to move beyond traditional warm-weather locations, provided a climate-controlled stadium was available.