Cowboys Legend Slams Super Bowl in Santa Clara

Michael Irvin calls the big game "the worst" he's ever attended.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin had harsh words for the Super Bowl LX held in Santa Clara, California, calling it "the worst" Super Bowl he's ever attended. Irvin criticized the lack of energy and excitement in the city, saying "it just wasn't jumping" and that the whole event felt "blah."

Why it matters

Irvin's scathing review of the Super Bowl in Santa Clara could impact the NFL's future decisions about hosting the big game in the Bay Area. The league typically looks to hold the Super Bowl in vibrant host cities that can generate excitement and economic activity around the event.

The details

In a post-game interview, Irvin unloaded on the Super Bowl experience in Santa Clara, saying "This was a horrible Super Bowl. They should never ever, ever, ever bring the Super Bowl back to San Francisco. In all the years of going to a Super Bowl, this was the worst." He described the overall vibe in the city as "blah" and said he "couldn't wait until this moment came to tell you DAMN! I believe this is the worst Super Bowl I have ever gone to."

  • Super Bowl LX was held on February 15, 2026.

The players

Michael Irvin

A former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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What they’re saying

“This was a horrible Super Bowl. They should never ever, ever, ever bring the Super Bowl back to San Francisco. 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.”

— Michael Irvin, Former Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver (Yahoo Sports)

“When you go into an event, it was blah. 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... NFL, you cannot come back here again. You cannot have a Super Bowl back here again. NFC Championship game, if they earned it, okay.”

— Michael Irvin, Former Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

It's unlikely the NFL will bring the Super Bowl back to the Bay Area anytime soon following Irvin's scathing review. The league will likely look to host the big game in more vibrant host cities that can generate more excitement and economic activity.

The takeaway

Michael Irvin's harsh criticism of the Super Bowl experience in Santa Clara highlights the importance of host cities being able to create an energetic and engaging atmosphere for the big game. The NFL will likely be wary of returning the Super Bowl to the Bay Area in the near future after Irvin's comments.