Stop Building Dome Stadiums!

The Kansas City Chiefs recently announced they’ll be leaving Missouri and moving to Kansas. A lot of people are upset about the deal itself, the politics behind it, and the amount of money involved. Honestly, I don’t really care that much about that part. Teams can do whatever they want when it comes to relocation and finances.

What I do care about is the fact that the Chiefs are moving into a dome stadium. They’re just the latest team to go from an outdoor stadium to an indoor one, and I really hate that it's become a trend across the NFL.

I want to be clear on something. I don’t have a problem with dome stadiums in warm-weather cities like Los Angeles or Las Vegas. The weather isn’t much of a factor in those places anyway, so a dome doesn’t really change the identity of the game.

But when we’re talking about cities like Kansas City, Chicago, Washington or Cleveland, that’s where I draw the line. The Bears want to build a dome in Chicago. The Browns want a dome. The Commanders in Washington. And now the Chiefs are going that route too. That’s where it starts to feel like football is losing a part of itself.

It's seems like every team in a cold weather city (aside from the Buffalo Bills... Thank God!), want to move indoors. Football, more than almost any other sport, needs to be played outdoors. Weather is supposed to matter.

Some of the most iconic moments in NFL history happened because of the weather.

Think about the Tuck Rule game between the Patriots and the Raiders during the 2001 playoffs. The Patriots went on to win their first Super Bowl, and while the rule itself is controversial, part of what made that moment so memorable was the snow in Foxborough. Players could barely move properly out there. The conditions made it chaotic, dramatic, and unforgettable.

Or think about last season when Josh Allen threw a touchdown and then caught one on the same play, diving into the snow. That moment instantly became iconic, not just because of the play, but because of the setting.

Staying in last season, Saquon Barkley running through the snow into the end zone in the divisional round against the Rams. That’s pure football. Those moments stick with us because they feel raw, physical, and earned.

Football is meant to be played in the fall and the winter. Inclement weather is part of the sport. Snow, rain, mud, and freezing temperatures should play a role in how games are won and lost.

That’s why I really don’t like dome stadiums in cold-weather cities. It feels like they’re taking away a piece of the game that has made it so special over the years. Football is supposed to be played in the mud, in the dirt, and in the trenches. It’s a war zone out there and it should feel like one.

I understand why teams build dome stadiums. They want to host concerts, World Cups, and other major events. From a business perspective, it makes sense.

But if it were up to me, there would be no more dome stadiums in cold-weather cities. The weather should matter. It always has. That’s why so many of these moments live on forever.

Football without the elements just isn’t the same game.