Singer Jon Batiste brought at least one player to tears with his jazzy rendition of the national anthem ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones was spotted dabbing away tears with a tissue as Batiste, a New Orleans native and Grammy winner, sang “The Star Spangled Banner.”
The performance drew mixed, but mostly positive reviews on social media after Batiste adjusted the meter of the song and repeating “the land of the free” multiple times.
“Whatever Jon Batiste just did is how the national anthem should be performed forever,” one fan wrote on X.
“Wow. What a FANTASTIC performance of the National Anthem by Jon Batiste,” media commentator Benny Johnson wrote.
Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast boasted a particularly patriotic flare after a turbulent start to 2025 for many Americans.
President Trump was on hand and became the first commander-in-chief to attend an NFL championship in person. He said there’s no better encapsulation of the nation than the Super Bowl.
“This annual tradition transcends our differences and personifies our shared patriotic values of family, faith, and freedom heroically defended by our military service members, law enforcement officers, and first responders,” he said in a statement. “We value their devotion to protecting our great Nation and salute their selfless service.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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