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The lights were bright and the championship was decided. But for Michael Irvin, something did not feel right.
The Hall of Fame wide receiver publicly criticized Super Bowl 60, held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, calling it the worst Super Bowl experience he has ever attended and insisting the NFL should not return to the Bay Area.
Speaking on his YouTube channel days after the game, Irvin did not soften his assessment.
He described the atmosphere as flat and said the surrounding events lacked energy compared to past Super Bowl cities he has experienced over decades.
"This was a horrible Super Bowl. They should never ever, ever, ever bring the Super Bowl back to San Francisco...
A rivalry that still lingers
Irvin's history with the San Francisco 49ers adds context. As a cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s, he played in some of the most intense NFC Championship battles in league history.
Those games helped define an era. That history makes his reaction more than casual commentary.
Super Bowl 60 marked the Bay Area's first time hosting since Super Bowl 50 during the 2015 season. While the 49ers now play in Santa Clara rather than San Francisco proper, the region remains deeply tied to the franchise's identity.
The NFL has not issued an official response to Irvin's remarks. League policy for selecting host cities typically centers on infrastructure, climate, stadium readiness and projected economic impact. Past host committees have cited projected local boosts reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
"In all the years of going to a Super Bowl, this was the worst. It was blah in the city. It just wasn't jumping. The people, blah. The buildings out here looked blah. When you go into an event it was blah...
The modern Super Bowl is no longer just about the game itself.
The Super Bowl experience has changed
Over the last decade, the event has evolved into a weeklong global production. Fans expect concerts, corporate activations and a citywide buzz that extends beyond kickoff.
Cities such as Miami and New Orleans have built reputations for delivering that festival-style atmosphere year after year. In February 2022, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles hosted Super Bowl LVI, where the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals and became only the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium.
That edition was widely praised for its scale and entertainment value.
"I'm thinking there should be so much money out here because the tech is out here, but it all looked so blah... I couldn't wait until this moment came to tell you damn! I believe this is the worst Super Bowl I have ever gone to...
Attention now shifts to Los Angeles
The NFL will return to SoFi Stadium next season for Super Bowl 61, home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The game will also mark a broadcast milestone. Under the league's current media rights agreement, ESPN will televise a Super Bowl for the first time, with ABC airing the event as well. It will be ABC's first Super Bowl broadcast since 2006.
With the league's schedule set years in advance, there are no immediate indications that the Bay Area will host again soon. However, debates about atmosphere and presentation continue to shape how fans and analysts evaluate each edition of the NFL's biggest stage.
"NFL, you cannot come back here again. You cannot have a Super Bowl back here again. NFC Championship game, if they earned it, OK...
Irvin's comments have reopened that conversation.
This article is based on public comments made by Michael Irvin on his YouTube channel, official NFL Super Bowl host announcements, historical league records, and confirmed broadcast agreements for Super Bowl 61.