Super Bowl XL meetings held in Atlanta, two years before the stadium opened in 2002; the only previous Super Bowl held in the Detroit area, Super Bowl XVI, had been played at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1982 (also between teams from the AFC North and NFC West divisions [the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers, respectively], though the AFC North was called the Central at that time). The NFL promoted this Super Bowl under the slogan "The Road to Forty." The slogan not only honored the 40-year history of the game, but was a nod to Detroit's traditional role as the center of
Super Bowl XLVIII was particularly cold in North America. However, the concerns never materialized as a timely warm front had moved into the region prior to the game; the kick-off temperature for the game was , never threatening the Super Bowl record low temperature of in Super Bowl VI, held at New Orleans' Tulane Stadium. Precipitation was limited to an occasional drizzle in the latter portions of the game. The Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, New Jersey served as the home for the Broncos during their stay. The team took up 150 of the 351 rooms until the night of January 29 before