5. Empower Field at Mile High
The Empower Field at Mile High is home to the Denver Broncos. It opened on August 11, 2001. The stadium has a seating capacity of 76,125. It is known to have one of the best home field advantages in the NFL not only because of the loud fans. That title probably goes to the Seattle Seahawks, but also because of the altitude making it more difficult for visiting teams. The stadium isn’t popular with everyone though the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods complain about the increase of traffic, and having to deal with unruly intoxicated fans after games are over. Empower Field might’ve replaced the original Mile High Stadium, but the traditions and culture from did carry over to the new one. A famous tradition is “the Incomplete Chant” which takes place whenever the opposing team throws an incomplete pass. The announcer will state “Pass thrown by opposing quarterback for intended receiver is,” and the crowd finishes up by yelling incomplete. Empower Field was even built with steel floors to keep another popular tradition going where the fans in the upper decks create their own “Mile High Thunder” by stomping their feets creating a rumbling noise.
4. Arrowhead Stadium
The Arrowhead stadium aka GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. People probably don’t use the stadium’s official name because it is sort of a mouthful. The name change happened in March 2021 in a deal made between GEHA and the Chiefs. The stadium is home to the Kansas City Chiefs and opened on August 12, 1972 with a seating capacity of 76,416 today. The original Arrowhead Stadium before undergoing renovations was home to “The Longest Game” in NFL history. A game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins lasting for 82 minutes and 40 seconds.
At the end of the second half both teams were tied up 24-24 pushing the game into overtime. The game would go into double overtime with neither team putting up any points in the first one, and for the first fifteen minutes in the second overtime the scoring drought continued. Finally Garo Yepremian kicked a 37-yard field goal to give the Dolphins the win. It was the first stadium to introduce arrows on yard markers to indicate when teams were near the goal line. You can say the Chiefs and Arrowhead Stadium became a trendsetter because the practice spread to other NFL stadiums. It finally became mandatory in 1978, and even lower football levels followed suit.
3. AT&T Stadium
Third stadium on the list is home to America’s team AT&T stadium with a seating capacity of 80,000 expandable to 105,000. It has the potential to be the largest NFL stadium in the near future if Jerry Jones ever decides to expand the stadium. Home to the Dallas Cowboys the stadium opened on May 27, 2009. AT&T stadium has had a number of nicknames before it was ever officially named. In the beginning some called it Jerry World as a nod to the owner who initially intended the stadium to be an entertainment venue. It also adopted other names such as The Death Star, The Palace in Dallas, Cowboys Cathedral, and Jerassic Park. In the end Jerry Jones had the final say and decided to name the stadium Cowboys Stadium. Until he granted the rights to AT&T on July 25, 2013. The Dallas Cowboys played their first regular season game in the stadium on September 20, 2009 and lost to their long-time NFC division rivals. The New York Giants led by Eli Manning. It was said that Eli left a message on the wall in the visitor’s locker room saying. “First win in the new stadium” leaving the Cowboys a constant reminder that they lost their first game in their new NFL stadium.
2. Lambeau Field
The second largest stadium in the NFL is also the oldest operating stadium in the NFL with its NFL team. I know what you’re thinking, doesn’t that title go to the Soldier Field and the Chicago Bears? Nope the title goes to Lambeau Field with a seating capacity of 81,441 home to the Green Bay Packers which opened on September 29, 1957. Sixty- six years ago the stadium opened and the Packers have called it home since then. The Chicago Bears didn’t call Soldier Field home till 1971, so the Packers hold the record for oldest stadium in continual NFL history. The Green Bay Packers just can’t let the Chicago Bears have anything can they? In 2007 the Packers broke the all-time record with their 51st season.
Before Lambeau Field came along the Packers were almost forced to move to Milwaukee by NFL owners, because they didn’t have an adequate stadium in Green Bay. In the 1950s the Packers were playing ball in City Stadium. A stadium was built behind Green Bay East High School, and they were literally using the high school locker rooms at the time. Milwaukee wanted to lure the Packers to their city full time, and built a bigger and better stadium. The NFL owners began putting pressure on the Packers to get a better stadium in Green Bay, and thus Lambeau Field was born. It was the first modern NFL stadium built for an NFL franchise entirely.
1. MetLife Stadium
At the top of the list for the biggest NFL stadium is MetLife Stadium home to not one, but two NFL teams. The New York Jets and the New York Giants, although there has been rumor the Jets have been playing around with the idea of building their own NFL stadium but for now it is just a rumor. MetLife Stadium opened on April 10, 2010 and has a seating capacity of 82,500 today. It is one of the newer and modern stadiums that doesn’t have a roof making it ineligible for any indoor events. At an approximate cost of $1.6 billion, it was the most expensive stadium built in the United States at the time of its completion. In 2014 the stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, where the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos. It was the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl held in an open-air stadium.
