Rihanna reportedly snubbed the NFL.
According to Us Weekly, the Anti singer was reportedly approached to headline the Super Bowl LIII halftime show; however, she declined the offer out of support for Colin Kaepernick.
“The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta,” a source told the outlet. “They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance.”
Kaepernick became one of the most polarizing players in NFL history, after he initiated on-field protest against police brutality and racial injustices. In 2016, the former 49er decided to kneel during the national anthem, and was joined by other athletes across different sports. He has since entered free agency and has yet to sign to another team. Kaepernick is now locked in a legal battle with the NFL, claiming the league and franchise owners colluded to keep him off the field because of his political demonstrations.
“If the NFL (as well as all professional sports leagues) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful political protest—which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago—should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government,” Kaepernick previously said in a statement.
The insider told Us Weekly that once Rihanna rejected the offer, league officials enlisted Maroon 5, who may or may not be joined by Cardi B.
“She is definitely being considered, but it’s obviously way too early to say for sure,” one insider says, noting that “anything could happen or change” by the time the February 3, 2019, game rolls around.
