The NFL has denied reports that it made attempts to stop Eminem from taking a knee during the Super Bowl halftime show, saying it had been "aware" of the rapper's intentions prior to the performance.
The game took place Sunday at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. During the halftime show artists including Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent. and Kendrick Lamar all took to the stage, but it was Eminem who drew widespread attention after he knelt down during his rendition of his hit single "Lose yourself" in an apparent tribute to Colin Kaepernick, the former pro quarterback who in 2016 took a knee during the national anthem of a preseason game in protests of police brutality.
Shortly after the performance, Eminem's gesture blew up in the media, with reports claiming that the rapper had defied the NFL. However, in a statement, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told Fox News that the original reports were "erroneous."
"We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that Eminem was going to do that," he added.
Kaepernick started a wave of protests among athletes across the U.S. who followed in his footsteps, taking a knee during the national anthem. He eventually opted out of his contract with the 49ers but did not join another NFL team, later claiming that he had been blacklisted by NFL owners opposing his protests.
According to Fox News, Kaepernick sued the NFL and received an undisclosed settlement. Four years later, the NFL admitted it had failed to listen to its players' concerns over racism following the protests that ignited following the police murder of Geroge Floyd in 2020.
"We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, according to The Guardian. "We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter."
No mention was made of Kaepernick during the announcement.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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