The Surprise Streaker
Any large-scale event risks the attention of pranksters. There is no way to avoid them in all cases, but you should try to keep a watchful eye. The security at Super Bowl XXXVIII failed at their jobs, without a doubt. While fans were watching the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers, a mischievous, naked man wandered in. He streaked in front of the crowd! Needless to say, he was totally uninvited.
In the end, the game went on and the Patriots defeated the Panthers in a close game of 32-29. We have a feeling many people found this incident more memorable than any passes or kicks. That was the plan!
Katy Perry's Dancing Shark Debacle
Singer Katy Perry showed us quite a performance with live dancers during the Super Bowl XLIX show in 2015. But apparently, it was a lot more work than we knew, and incredibly bureaucratic. According to Katy: "There are many committees I have to go through for my costumes, the budgets of my show, every interview — everything, I have to report to somebody. So I am no longer the boss; I have to relinquish that control. We love this opportunity, but once you decide you're gonna do the Super Bowl, you're gonna have no f------ life for six months. It is the biggest thing. Anyone that's ever done it has been scared sh--less. You stay off the Internet for the five days afterward."
We don't usually think about the work that goes into that short set. What we did think of that day was her backup dancers, dressed in silly shark suits, doing uncoordinated silly moves. The world was confused, and so were we!
Halftime Power Outage
During a nationally-televised production that costs millions to produce, the last thing you want is any technical difficulty. But that's exactly what happened in 2013 during the halftime show for Super Bowl XLVII. The Baltimore Ravens battled the San Francisco 49ers at the New Orleans Superdome. Then, they took a break and expected to see some entertainment. What happened? A nightmare: A power outage, in the middle of the show!
Here, we see the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders doing their best to keep the crowd happy. They had quite a challenge and handled it with spirit. The outage lasted for 34 minutes!
The Gatorade Splash
If you're victorious at the Super Bowl, all bets are off. All normal decorum goes out the window, even to your own coach. Here, we can see members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dousing Head coach Bruce Arians with blue Gatorade. They just won Super Bowl LV and humiliated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. With a win like that, there's no way they could hold back their raw emotions. Would you?
It's not like they would be able to get away with this at practice. This is the time to go big or go home. They decided to go big, obviously!
Christina Aguilera Messed up The Anthem
In 2011, Christina Aguilera was given the honor of singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl XLV Pregame Show. Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers were horrified once she began though. Instead of "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming" she sang "what so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming". The lyrics just weren't quite right. Christina, you had one job!
The singer begged for forgiveness, and most of us have forgiven her by now. But we know it must have been incredibly embarrassing to mix that up. What a nightmare!
These Rams Cheerleaders Brought Spirit
At any given time, there are dozens of Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders perfecting their moves. In between games, there is a lot of prep, and they take their jobs seriously. When not on the sidelines, they volunteer hundreds of hours for the community. They build their bodies and spirits, and they are prepared for the big day if it happens. In 2019, their team made it to Super Bowl LIII to face off against the New England Patriots.
Here, we see the squad at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. They're shaking their pompoms and flashing their smiles. In the end, though, it wasn't enough: They were defeated by the Patriots.
The Wardrobe Malfunction Heard Round the World
When we heard that Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were performing together at the Super Bowl, we were extremely excited. They were two of the biggest names, and we liked the matchup almost as much as the Panthers vs. Patriots. But when the performance began, things got weird. Out of the blue, Justin ripped off Janet's chest piece. She was totally exposed in front of the nation! Was this planned nudity, or what?
The rules were clearly broken for public television, and families across the country were pretty mad. There they were, enjoying the game with their kiddos, and this occurs without warning. To this day, no one can forget!
Cindy Crawford Made Commercial History
Supermodel Cindy Crawford remains one of the most recognizable faces on earth. Even though her 90's career is over, we can't forget her greatest campaigns. For example, do you remember the Pepsi commercial during the 1992 Super Bowl? We bet you still think about it. Cindy strolled to a vending machine and bought a can. Then, she drank it. While that sounds simple, Cindy made this act absolutely iconic. We just don't sip the same!
These days, it seems her daughter has continued the tradition of being drop-dead gorgeous. Have you noticed look-a-like model of the year Kaia Gerber? Surprise, surprise: Cindy is her mom!
Say Howdy to the Cowboys Cheerleaders
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are nationally renounced for their energy, their smiles, and their boots. We love that they remain authentic to Texas fashion, no matter where they go. If you want to be part of this southern squad, a few things are required. First, candidates must be 18 years old at the audition. You need a GED or a high school diploma. Beyond that, they say there are no specific height or weight requirements.
We don't know if that's possible, given how similar all these ladies look. But whatever the case may be, they seem to be recruiting top talent. This squad cheered their team to victory 27-17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. Check out the 1996 lineup, right here!
The Creepy Cardboard Cutouts
We assume that every seat in the stadium is sold out when it's time for the Super Bowl. But things were different at Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. It was 2021, and the pandemic was in full swing, In order to socially distance, cardboard figures were placed in empty seats between ticket holders. It's a bizarre sight, to be sure. But it was a bizarre time, too!
Despite the weirdness in the stands, the game went on as usual on the field. In the end, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seriously smashed the Kansas City Chiefs. The final score was 31–9. It wasn't even close!
When It Actually Rained for Prince
Prince once explained that he only wanted to see us bathing in the purple rain. We really had no idea what he was talking about, but the song was catchy. That was enough for us! And apparently, it was enough for the Super Bowl committee, who invited him to perform during the Super Bowl XLI halftime show. At this championship, the Indianapolis Colts battled the Chicago Bears. We don't really remember the outcome of that matchup, but we do remember an electrifying performance of "Purple Rain" as an actual downpour started. What are the odds?
The singer brought his wild and wacky electric guitar, as we hoped he would. And the, he sang his little heart out. The wet crowd loved that purple rain!
Tom Brady Celebrated Hard
Here, we see Tom Brady of the New England Patriots ecstatic after his Super Bowl win in 2017. He played a key role in defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. But it wasn't always clear he would become the sports superstar he clearly is. "I was the kid that was the 199th pick that never had the body for it. People didn't think I'd play one year in the NFL, and now I'm going on my 17th year."
Fans were impressed when Tom got the team 25 points and then sent the game into overtime. Sportswriters claimed this was the best Super Bowl ever. We can see why he looks so proud!
The Streaker in Pink
When you plan a huge event on national television, you don't want any unexpected thongs popping up. You certainly don't want any hot pink man thongs, if it's going to happen. But that's exactly what the NFL was faced with in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LV when a fan bolted into the field and began taking off his shorts. Here, we see the surprise streaker in all his glory.
The day was supposed to be all about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. But because of this incident, some of the attention was stolen. As you can see, the ref is mad!
M. I. A. Gave Us the Finger
M.I.A. performed during halftime at Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. During the song, it appeared she has the crowd the finger! For her crude gesture on live TV, she was sued for more than $16 million by the NFL itself. But M.I.A. explained: "5,000 years ago, there was thing called a mudra, which is your sitting position when you do yoga or you're meditating or praying or whatever. And you have different ones based on what you're meditating over. There's not a lot of them that are named after gods and goddesses, but the middle finger is specifically named Matangi – the Matangi mudra."
She reached a settlement with the organization and has not been invited back since. To this day, M.I.A. claims NFL just doesn't believe in any other cultures. Was she right?
The Rams Suddenly Defeated the Titans
Some football games are pretty predictable. You know who is likely to win from the beginning, and things play out exactly as you better. But occasionally, the matchup is pretty even, and it's not clear who will seize victory. In Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, there was a real nailbiter. In the end, the Rams defeated the Titans decisively 23-16. But that wasn't the case until the very last play.
Here, we see Kevin Dyson of the Tennessee Titans as he reaches for the end zone. He is holding the ball, but he falls just a few feet short. That's because Mike Jones of the St. Louis Rams just tackled him, and thwarted his plan. Game over!
When Queen Bey Stole the Show
Flashback to 2016: The Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show was at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. There was an extraordinary lineup this time around. Not only were Coldplay and Bruno Mars on the setlist, but they also managed to get Beyoncé. Al in all, 115.5 million viewers tuned in live. What most folks remember is Queen Bey's dazzling performance, despite good efforts from the other acts. She totally outshined them!
Beyoncé chose to perform her new single called "Formation". In the song. she claimed to be a black Bill Gates in the making. She also revealed she takes her man out to Red Lobster. We couldn't get enough!
Adam Levine Started Stripping
Adam Levine of Maroon 5 sang at the Super Bowl LIII halftime show in Atlanta, Georgia. What most remember was not his flawless voice, but instead, his flawless abs. For some reason, Adam took off his shirt like a stripper during the performance. While many male and female fans didn't mind at all, others took issue with the move, After all, hadn't Janet Jackson been criticized for something similar, years before?
Some argued it was literally the same thing. Others say that men and women cannot take off their tops in the same manner on live tv. They might have a point!
No Doubt and Sting Teamed up
No Doubt and Sting performed at Super Bowl XXXVII. It seems like an unlikely pairing. How did that collab happen? Apparently, they were fans of each other. According to show producer Ken Ehrlich: “In this case, it was pretty organic. It came from No Doubt. We talked about a couple of possible people to do something with. As soon as we mentioned Sting, they loved that…(Sting) was very excited about doing it."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders battled to be number one during this game in 2003. The Buccaneers beat the Raiders 48-21 after No Doubt and Sting wowed the crowd. Clearly, they too were inspired!
Flying High With the Baltimore Ravens
Cheerleading is a big deal in America. Starting from middle school, some girls devote themselves to the activity, and it gets highly athletic as time goes on. Beyond the chants, there is a lot of acrobatics that go into a good routine. Anyone who has ever seen the movie Bring it On knows what we mean. But high school cheer is one thing. At the NFL level, you are definitely expected to have the moves.
Here, we see an impressive performance at Super Bowl XLVII by the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders. When their team faced off with the San Francisco 49ers, they flew through the air for moral support. Here they are, in midair!
Saints Cheerleaders Earned This Headline
The New Orleans Saints have a great cheerleading operation called The Saintsations. These glitzy gals dance and cheer at all at Saints football games, and we can see how they would boost morale. Outside of the sport, they are ambassadors for the team in the community. It's an awesome gig if you can get it. Here, we see Saintsation members holding a newspaper with the headline of their dreams: World Champs. Why does it say that?
Well, it seems the Saints just won Super Bowl XLIV! They defeated the Indianapolis Colts in 2010, and these ladies could not have been prouder. Way to go, New Orleans!!
Michael Jackson Stood Eerily Still
Michael Jackson has been the subject of a lot of controversy in recent years. But before all the strange accusations came out, he was a superstar and the honored guest at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show Fans went wild when he stood still on stage for two minutes. It seemed like an eternity, and it was very dramatic. No one else could have pulled that off! Then, he sang and danced to "Jam", "Black or White", "We Are the World", and "Heal the World".
At the end of the game, the Cowboys had a decisive win, at 52-17. But fans probably remember Michael more than anything. His mini-concert is actually considered the greatest halftime show of all time!
David Tyree Defied Gravity
When your job is to run around and tackle men in tights, you have to be faster than they are. They're slippery, and they're on a mission. It's best to be nimble and smart, too, in case one of them runs after you. Here, we see David Tyree of the New York Giants as he catches a pass over the head of his opponent in Super Bowl XLII . Rodney Harrison of the New England Patriots here is dumbfounded. Did he really just catch the ball?
Fans think that avid nearly defied gravity when he pulled this one off. It's a good thing he did, because the Giants won 17-14. This catch truly made the difference!
Early 90's Buffalo Bills Cheerleaders
At Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, the Buffalo Bills faced off with the Dallas Cowboys at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Fans on both sides were excited to see the other side defeated, and the stadium was buzzing with energy. To get the crowd hyped up, the cheerleaders came out to dance. Here, we see the way the Buffalo Bills team used to dress. We love that 90's look!
In the end, even their amazing hair didn't make a difference. The Cowboys won the game against their team, 52-17. But we see they didn't know this yet, here at halftime!
Joe Montana Saved the Day
Super Bowl XIX was a faceoff between the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins in 1985. The 49ers won, mostly thanks to an amazing series of passes by Joe Montana in the final quarter of the game. Joe reflected: "As a quarterback, there's no better way to finish your year, in winning a Super Bowl, than with a touchdown pass. The chances of that happening, by the looks of most of the Super Bowls, is a very rare chance. Fortunately for me, I had an opportunity."
To this day, Joe Montana remains a big name in the game. ESPN named him the 25th greatest athlete of the century and Sports Illustrated called him the number-one clutch quarterback in the history of the sport. Nice work, Joe!
Ravens Cheerleaders at the Superdome
When you're in the spirit business, you need to have rhythm and a decent memory for cheers. Cheerleaders for the Baltimore Ravens are required to also know the fight song. It's not too complicated, and it's pretty catchy. In part, it goes: "Baltimore Ravens Lets go, and put that ball across the line. So fly on with talons spread wide, go in and strike with Ravens pride. Fight, fight, fight!"
Here, we see these pompom professionals as they cheer on their team at Super Bowl XLVII. Their hard work paid off: The bet the San Francisco 49ers. Go ravens, go!
Scott Norwood Missed That Kick
Thinking back to Super Bowl XXV, there's a story we just can't forget. In a contest between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Giants, tension was high. For most of the game, players tackle each other and run around with the pigskin. But throughout the game, there are point opportunities via kickoff. When time was running out and the Giants lead the Bills 20-19, player Scott Norwood lined up for his chance. Then, the unthinkable happened.
Buffalo Bill Scott Norwood missed A 47-yard field goal at the end of the game. This blunder actually cost his team the Super Bowl. We can't even imagine the stress. But of course, the Giants cheered!
Bono Sang a Tribute to 9/11
U2 has been known to speak his mind on the issues of the day, no matter how sad and challenging. Over the years, we heard them talk about the conflict in Ireland to world poverty and debt. In 2002, it was just a year after the tragedy of 9/11 in America. Bono decided to use his slot performing at Super Bowl XXXVI to make a tribute to the victims of the attack.
The band performed "Beautiful Day", "MLK", and "Where the Streets Have No Name". The names of the fallen were projected behind the stage and Bono revealed an American flag-lined jacket. So touching!
Diana Ross Buzzed off on a Helicopter
In the mid '90s, the NFL had a series of spectacular halftime performances. Tony Bennett, Patti LaBell, and Michael Jackson were all featured to critical acclaim. How could they top it? Obviously, they had to bring in Diana Ross. In 1996, the singer headlined halftime for Super Bowl XXX. The Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers faced off, but that wouldn't end up being the most exciting part of the event.
Diana performed, and then, she shocked the world with her exit. In true diva style, she exited the stage in a helicopter. We've never seen anything quite like that before, or since!
Things Got Random
We don't know exactly how acts are chosen for Super Bowl halftime shows. But we do know that sometimes the lineup is a little odd. For Super Bowl XXXV halftime in 2001, fans enjoyed the performance at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The setlist was N'sYNC, Britney Spears, Aerosmith, and Nelly. We don't really think the music of these four go together, but what do we know?
The show ended with a combined performance of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". All the acts joined in to sing along to the classic rock tune. It never happened before, and we are sure it will never happen again.
The Shakira and JLo Duet
For the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show in Miami in 2020, The committee clearly picked a three. They went with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, both world famous for Latin hip moves. We think the pairing made sense when you think about it like that. JLo wore an itty bitty silver number with plenty of sparkly fringes. Shakira went with gold, which suited her tan. It was all fairly metallic, looking back.
At home, a debate broke out: Who was better, really? An online survey showed that around 25 states favored Jen and 21 preferred Shakira. We suppose the other four were inclusive!
The Giants Dumped Gatorade on the Coach
It was Super Bowl XXI in 1987 at the Rose Bowl in California. The teams facing off were the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos. Fans from both teams crowded into the stadium to see their favorite players fight for the ultimate title in American football. Like every game, there could only be one winner. In this case, it turned out to be the Giants who boasted a win of 39-20. How did they celebrate?
Here, we can see exactly how they celebrated. The team dumped a huge bucket of orange Gatorade all over head coach Bill Parcells. We bet he was a good sport about it!
Bruce Springsteen's Crotch Shot
When Bruce Springsteen and his band were invited to perform at Super Bowl XLIII, everyone agreed it was a good choice. They had no idea what he was about to do, though! Bruce opened up the show by shouting: "I want you to step back from the guacamole dip! I want you to put the chicken fingers down! And turn your television all the way up! And what I wanna know is, is there anybody alive out there?"
Then, he slid across the stage crotch first into the came lens itself. Viewers at home were shocked! Bruce explained on Instagram that he had too much adrenaline and too much speed. Indeed, he did!
Whitney Houston Sang the National Anthem
Whitney Houston left the world far too soon, and fans still think about her greatest performances. One of the most memorable was her appearance at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. There was no question she deserved to sing the National Anthem to open the big game. A voice like hers comes around once in a generation, or possibly even less. For context: At the time, America was involved in the Persian Gulf War.
Tens of thousands of fans waved flags, and the crowd felt a swell of patriotism. To this day, Whitney's national anthem is the gold standard to match. We will always love you, Whitney!
The Black Eyed Peas Got It Started
In 2011, the Black Eyed Peas performed during the Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show. The performance was electric but it wasn't always certain they would get picked. According to Will.i.am: "Playing the Super Bowl was a big milestone because at the time that event didn’t program contemporary artists after the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction. It was between Black Eyed Peas and Bon Jovi, so I flew out to New Jersey with my DJ equipment for the pitch, and told them the Black Eyed Peas have always been safe. We take pride in bringing families to our show. And I did a little DJ set for them."
Will's attempt to convince the NFL committee made them comfortable going the pop route again. Janet really made them nervous, for years to come. It seems like they were traumatized!
Madonna Rocked It
You might assume that Madonna performed at the height of her career a the Super Bowl. But no! She was actually invited in 2012 at Super Bowl XLV Iin Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the headliner and was joined by LMFAO, M.I.A., CeeLo Green and Nicki Minaj. Cirque du Soleil performed in the background, which was a nice touch. All in all, the performance garnered 114 million viewers, which was actually higher than the numbers for the game. Nice, Madge!
Fun fact: Madonna was the first female headliner of the halftime show since 1996. Diana Ross had that honor previously which we understand. The Super Bowl is the place for legends!
Old Mick Jagger Got His Groove On
Mick Jagger has been gyrating his hips across stages for around 50 years now. Despite his elderly status. he isn't slowing down. We really enjoyed his halftime show in 2006 for Super Bowl XL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks. The setting was Detroit, but the venue was new. Mick had never been invited to this event before. For the short concert, he chose three of his greatest hits. But which ones?
The crowd danced to "Start Me Up," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," and "Rough Justice". Mick shimmied and shook to the guitars and drums, and didn't disappoint. He never does!
Lady Gaga Zoomed in
It's undeniable that Lady Gaga has become one of the biggest pop acts around. There was no surprise when the NFL selected her to perform at the halftime show at Super Bowl LI. Fans knew it was going to be something special because that's just how Gaga does everything. But they never expected that she would come flying in from above on wires. Apparently, she had to get clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration to zoom down like that. Seriously!
She sang "God Bless America" and "This Land Is Your Land", two Americana classics. Then, she sang her hit "Born This Way". The whole thing was extraordinary, even by Super Bowl standards!
This Would Never Pass in Today's Standards
An Elvis impersonator shook his pelvis at one Super Bowl halftime show. In 1989, Elvis Presto created a show called "Be Bop Bamboozled". The entire at had a 50's theme, which suited his style just fine. It was an unusual choice for the event, which usually featured the biggest act of that day., But since the real ing of Rock and Roll was long gone, this was the next best option.
As far as the game itself the 49ers achieved a 20-16 victory over the Bengals. Maybe the Bengals should have had a little less conversation, a little more action. Too late, we suppose!
Who Invited Jim Belushi?
Actor Jim Belushi made us laugh on SNL and as one of the Blues Brothers. We felt it was natural to see him in these roles. But when he joined legendary singer James Brown on stage during Super Bowl XXXI, we were shocked. This was pretty unexpected! Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman came too, after an announcement that three had escaped jail. Was there any truth to that, though?
No, it was just a promotion for their latest film. To this day, it's one of the silliest moments in Super Bowl history. Do you even remember the game that year?
Brett Favre's First Touchdown
Brett Favre is an NFL legend known for his agility and competitiveness on the field. He is retired now, but longtime fans can't forget his greatest hits. Remember his first Super Bowl touchdown pass? It was 1997, and the Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XXXI. It was pretty decisive, with a score of 35-21. Brett certainly played his part as the star quarterback. When he got the touchdown pass, he actually ripped off his helmet to celebrate. It was quite a moment!
Brett ran around the field without his helmet, as a Super Bowl newbie on the way to a win. In his career, he would play in two Super Bowls, winning the first one and losing the second one. Hey, you can't win 'em all!