A 50-year old stadium? Who'd have thunk it?
In San Diego, Qualcomm Stadium is celebrating its 40th anniversary year, yet the Chargers organization can't wait to see it in their rear view mirror, as the posturing for a new stadium site in San Diego County continues.
Meanwhile, Green Bay's Lambeau Field celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and the Packers are truly treating it like a celebration.
The differences? The Packers actually have a proud heritage, as one of the last old school franchises in this league. They've won three Super Bowls, and in fact the trophy given the NFL winner is named after the club's most famous coach, Vince Lombardi.
And its stadium is bursting with football history yet has been upgraded a number of times in the five decades: transformed, according to team literature, "from a football stadium that fans could use only 10 days during the season to a Packers cultural center that ccan be enjoyed throughout the year."
Its seating capacity has been expanded four times. The current configuration of 72,928 includes 166 private suites and 6,000 club seats, improvements in concourses, new turf, and an atrium that houses a team hall of fame, meeting and event facilities, restaurants and shops.
But for a player, it's still the ground on which Bart Starr and Ray Nitschke trod.
"It's special because of the history and all the great players who have played there," LaDainian Tomlinson said. "I know it'll be special because I know Walter Payton played on that field, and he's somebody I want to be just like."