Super Bowl LIX Recap—Minus the Actual Game

Halftime Show Extravaganza

The halftime show was headlined by Kendrick Lamar, marking a historic moment as he became the first solo hip-hop artist to lead this prestigious performance. The show commenced with a surprise appearance by Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, who introduced Lamar with the declaration, "This is the great American game."

Lamar's setlist was a dynamic mix of his most acclaimed tracks, including "Squabble Up," "HUMBLE.," and "DNA." The stage design featured dancers clad in red, white, and blue tracksuits, symbolizing the American flag with a line separating the dancers to signify the division of Americans in current times. SZA, who is a frequent collaborator of Kendrick, joined him on stage as a guest performer to sing two of their biggest songs, "All The Stars” and “Luther.”

The show peaked with Lamar performing the most anticipated song of the night: "Not Like Us." the massive hit from last year’s back-and-forth with Drake served as a victory lap for Kendrick. The song granted Kendrick five Grammy awards, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Rap Song.

Tennis legend Serena Williams made a surprise cameo during "Not Like Us” by doing the Crip Walk - a dance move created in Compton in the 1970s. This appearance was particularly notable given Williams' past association with Drake, adding insult to injury.

Lamar signed off from the performance with “TV Off,” grinning into the camera as “Game Over” illuminated the crowd behind him. It was the moment Kendrick solidified himself as the winner in the ongoing rap beef.

Watch the full performance here.

Other Performances

National anthem

Louisiana native Jon Batiste delivered a soulful rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner," performing on a grand piano adorned with colorful motifs. Dressed in an all-black suit accented with gold pins and silver jewelry, Batiste's performance was both visually and musically captivating.

• Watch the national anthem here

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"

Grammy-winning artist Ledisi performed a powerful rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the Black national anthem. She was accompanied by a choir of 125 New Orleans high school students, symbolizing the 125th anniversary of the hymn.

• Watch the performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" here

Tribute to the January 1st attack victims

Lady Gaga delivered an emotional performance of her Oscar-nominated song "Hold My Hand" from the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack. The segment, filmed on New Orleans' iconic Bourbon Street, honored the victims of the recent terror attack that claimed 14 lives on January 1st. Dressed in an all-white ensemble symbolizing peace and hope, Gaga was accompanied by a local gospel choir and first responders wearing "NOLA Strong" shirts.

• Watch the tribute performance here

Celebrity Attendance

The Super Bowl has long been a magnet for celebrities, and this year was no exception. The event drew a diverse array of high-profile figures from the worlds of entertainment, sports, and politics.

Political figures: President Donald Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, accompanied by his daughter Ivanka Trump. Their presence was noted during the national anthem, where they stood honoring the flag.

Music and entertainment stars: Taylor Swift was spotted in the stands, supporting the Kansas City Chiefs alongside Ice Spice and members of Haim. Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla were spotted together at the Super Bowl, each supporting opposing teams: Megan cheered for the Philadelphia Eagles, while GloRilla backed the Kansas City Chiefs. Bradley Cooper, a dedicated Philadelphia Eagles fan, was seen with his daughter Lea, both donning the team's green colors. Other notable attendees included Jay-Z, his daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi, Anne Hathaway, Kevin Costner, and Pete Davidson.

Super Bowl Ads: Hits & Misses

Super Bowl commercials have become an event in themselves, and this year’s $7 million per 30-second spot price tag raised expectations.

Hits:

Dunkin

Dunkin's 2025 Super Bowl ad continues its "DunKings" saga with Ben Affleck assembling a new lineup after Matt Damon and Tom Brady's "departure." This time, he recruits Casey Affleck, Bill Belichick, and Jeremy Strong, who hilariously leans into method acting by submerging himself in a barrel of Dunkin Coffee. The ad features Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, and Donnie Wahlberg, adding to the comedic chaos.

Uber Eats

Matthew McConaughey humorously explores a conspiracy theory that football was invented to promote food consumption. The ad features McConaughey traveling through football history, highlighting food-related terms and moments, such as the nickname "pigskin" to encourage bacon cravings and the naming of the Buffalo Bills to promote buffalo wings. The commercial includes appearances by celebrities like Martha Stewart, Charli XCX, Kevin Bacon, and Greta Gerwig, each contributing to the playful narrative.

Misses:

Google's Gemini AI

Google’s original Gemini AI ad about cheese turned out to be a bit too sharp—and not in a good way. The ad, which highlighted Gemini’s role in assisting small businesses like Wisconsin Cheese Mart, included an AI-generated description of Gouda cheese that mistakenly claimed it accounts for 50 to 60 percent of global cheese consumption—a wildly inaccurate figure.

After the error was spotted, Google swiftly re-edited the video, removing the misleading statistic, a company spokesperson confirmed.

“After the question came up about the Gouda stat, we spoke with the owner of the Wisconsin Cheese Mart to ask him how he would handle it,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “Following his suggestion to have Gemini rewrite the product description without the stat, we updated the UI to reflect what the business would do.”

Angel Soft

Timing a bathroom break during the Super Bowl is a challenge, but one toilet paper brand turned it into a marketing stunt. Instead of trying to capture viewers' attention, they did the opposite—encouraging people to leave the room during the commercial. It was a bold move, positioning their product as essential for the most inconvenient moments. But if everyone takes their advice, will they even remember the brand when it’s time to restock?

Philadelphia’s Wild Celebration

The Philadelphia Eagles' victory led to a raucous celebration back home, with thousands of fans flooding Broad Street in true Philly fashion.

• Fireworks lit up the skyline, as fans sang "Fly, Eagles Fly" deep into the night
• Fans were seen climbing light poles—despite city officials refusing to grease them this year
• At one point, a group of fans overturned a car, though no serious injuries were reported
• SEPTA (Philadelphia's public transit) was forced to adjust schedules due to massive crowds, with police issuing multiple citations for "disorderly celebration"

The official championship parade is set for later this week, but based on last night’s chaos, it’s clear that Philadelphia knows how to celebrate a Super Bowl win like no other city.