Three cities that have combined to host nearly half of the NFL championship games in the past 35 years have emerged as potential alternate sites if the league decides to move Super Bowl XXXV out of New Orleans.

Miami says it's ready if it's needed

MIAMI -- The NFL has contacted Miami officials about the possibility of the city playing host to the Super Bowl if the league decides to push the game back a week and move it out of New Orleans. William Talbert, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he has spoken with NFL vice president of special events Jim Steeg about having Super Bowl XXXVI at Pro Player Stadium. "We're certainly ready," Talbert said. "(The NFL) has enormous confidence in our ability to conduct a successful Super Bowl." Dolphins president Eddie Jones said Miami is ready and eager to begin the difficult task of preparing for the Super Bowl on four months' notice. "It's important to us, and all of our other teams, to preserve our playoff format as we know it with the extra wild cards," Jones said. "That's what the league is working on at this point. Where it winds up we don't know." -- The Associated Press

Even as New Orleans officials reiterated their intentions Wednesday to retain the game for their city -- still the most likely scenario -- league sources told ESPN.com that Pasadena, Miami and Tampa have been discussed as possible hosts.

Those cities have played host to 17 of 35 Super Bowl games.

Miami has staged eight games, the most recent of which was Super Bowl XXXIII, and two of the last seven title matchups have been played there. Pasadena hasn't had a game since Super Bowl XXVII, but has held five championship contests, and the capacity of the Rose Bowl always translates into additional revenues. Tampa was the site of Super Bowl XXXV last season, has hosted three of the last 11 games, and four overall.

Contrary to published reports, San Diego and Honolulu are not being considered.

The league sources emphasized that the overriding sentiment remains keeping the game in New Orleans and the other cities will be seriously considered only if it is determined that is not possible. One source called New Orleans "options 1 through 10."

League officials continued on Wednesday to explore several options, and clearly are trying to salvage the standard 12-team playoff format instead of paring the postseason field to eight. To accomplish that and still keep the Jan. 27 date for Super Bowl XXXVI, the league would have to somehow compress the playoff schedule, with some wild-card qualifiers probably required to play two games in five days.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.