What determines the date of the Super Bowl?

In recent years the Super Bowl has been played on the first Sunday in February, but the NFL has changed the date for a variety of reasons in the past. The season start date, number of games, bye weeks and number of playoff rounds influence the final decision.

Since the first Super Bowl, played on January 15, 1967, the structure of the league, the season start date, the number of teams, the season length and the number of playoff rounds have changed. The combination of these factors has caused the Super Bowl to be scheduled three weeks later than in the year than it was in the past.