Proof That Chris Stapleton’s National Anthem Had Everyone in Tears
Chris Stapleton brought Super Bowl viewers to tears on Sunday (Feb. 12) with his rendition of the National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner".
The country singer delivered a soul-filled performance accompanied by a single electric guitar. It wasn't flashy or over-the-top, and there were no long, bellowing notes — just a man letting his heart shine through on the nation's anthem.
Fans flooded social media to share their love of the performance.
"Chris Stapleton NEEDS to do the National Anthem every year," one person writes.
"Chris Stapleton just delivered the best National Anthem we’ve heard in quite some time. Am I right?" another says.
"Chris Stapleton is making the entire stadium cry," Bachelor Nation alum Joe Amabile shares.
Some likened the impassioned performance to that of Whitney Houston, who sang the National Anthem ahead of the 1991 Super Bowl — there's an online debate as to who sang it better bubbling on social media. Despite the comparisons, the two renditions have one thing in common: Emotion. Stapleton had many people — including players and coaches — in visible tears ahead of the big game.
Philadelphia Eagles' Head Coach Nick Sirianni stole everyone's hearts — the coach looked extremely emotional during the performance, with large tears gliding down his face. There was even a slight quiver in his chin. Sirianni is in his second years serving as the Eagles' head coach — couple that with how big of a game the Super Bowl is and it's easy to see why he was so heavy in his feels.
Jason Kelce was also visibly emotional during Stapleton's National Anthem performance. Cameras spotted the Eagles' center mouthing along to the song before catching him with tears in his eyes. In addition to playing in such a big game, Kelce also faced off against his brother Travis Kelce — a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. The two made history as the first siblings to compete against one another in a Super Bowl.
The Chiefs walked away with the victory after kicking the go-ahead field goal with just seconds left in the game. Despite a Hail Mary effort by Eagles' Jalen Hurts to stay in the game, Kansas City took home the Lombardi Trophy with a 38-35 victory.