Steelers have different kind of Super Bowl goal under one condition

The Pittsburgh Steelers are serving as the hosts of the 2026 NFL Draft at a time of the year when conditions in the area could be springlike or downright wintry, depending on several factors. 

Understandably, the situation has sparked some conversations on local sports-talk programs about whether Pittsburgh could become the home of a Super Bowl if the Steelers one day build a domed stadium. During a recent appearance on Pittsburgh's 102.5 WDVE, Steelers president Art Rooney II indicated that the AFC North team won't be playing home games indoors anytime soon. 

Art Rooney II makes feelings on building a dome for the Steelers clear

"Not in my lifetime, let’s put it that way," Rooney said when asked if the Steelers could have a dome, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "Football is an outdoor sport as far as I’m concerned, and I think most Pittsburghers would agree. There’s nothing better than going out and seeing the game with the snow flying, and it’s it’s a lot of fun on those kinds of days."

As Ryan Miller of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle explained, the Buffalo Bills' new stadium features "a steel canopy that covers about 64% of all seating." According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, the Bills will start playing games at that venue beginning this summer. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns are building a domed stadium in a suburb of Cleveland. 

Art Rooney II not giving up on Pittsburgh getting a Super Bowl?

The NFL has typically given Super Bowl games to cities in warm-weather climates and to those that have domed stadiums (i.e., Indianapolis). However, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was the home of the Super Bowl back in February 2014. Per a NJ Advance Media article, that was the third-coldest Super Bowl in history at the time the game was played. 

"I wouldn’t take it off the table," Rooney added about Pittsburgh becoming a Super Bowl host city. "It’s definitely a long shot, and there’s a lot of other cities like us that would love to do that, So maybe maybe it’s down the road a little ways, but I wouldn’t take anything off the table. Let’s put it that way." 

It's difficult to imagine Pittsburgh would get a Super Bowl without a dome. Rooney doesn't have to worry about that right now, as every Super Bowl through 2030 already has a host city attached to it.