From the star-studded commercials to the surprise reveals.
Even before Super Bowl LVIII kicked off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday night, the chatter surrounding the event went beyond the usual questions of who would win. Would Taylor Swift make it back from her show in Japan to Las Vegas in time to see her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play for the Kansas City Chiefs? Who would Usher bring out as his surprise guests during the halftime show?
Some predicted that the 2024 Super Bowl would break a viewership record, thanks at least in part to Taylor Swift’s impact on the NFL. And while we don’t have the exact numbers yet, it was certainly an entertaining night. If you missed part of the game (or any of the commercials) because you were grabbing snacks or just want to relive the highlights, here are some of the biggest moments from the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs win in overtime
The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, after rallying to score a touchdown in the game’s nail-biting final seconds. With the final score at 25-22, it was the seventh-longest game in NFL history. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the game’s MVP after throwing the winning pass.
“What a game, right? It could have gone either way,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid told the press. “I feel fortunate to have been on the positive side.”
The first half was a defensive battle, and this year’s Super Bowl marked the first 0-0 tie since 2019, when the Patriots defeated the Rams. 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was carted off and taken out of the game after suffering an achilles injury while jogging onto the field.
Reba McEntire sang the national anthem
Reba McEntire is said to have been discovered 50 years ago when she belted out the Star Spangled Banner at the 1974 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma, when she was just 19 years old. So it was a full-circle moment when she sang the national anthem at the 2024 Super Bowl lit up Allegiant Stadium.
Taylor Swift chugged her drink
We knew we were in for some memeable Taylor Swift moments, and the videoboard wasted no time. In the first half, in between game-play, the camera panned to Swift, who was watching from the Kelce family suite along with pals Ice Spice and Blake Lively. The superstar did not shy away from the camera: When it turned to her, she promptly chugged her drink and slammed down her empty cup. The fans went wild!
Dunkin’ leaned in on Boston pride
Many of the Super Bowl commercials incorporated celebrity cameos, but Dunkin’ used famous faces in a very memorable way in their spot, which was centered around Ben Affleck using J.Lo and Fat Joe’s help to record a song with his new musical group, “The DunKings.” And just who was a member of his band? Fellow Bostonians Matt Damon and Tom Brady, of course!
Usher performed a medley of his hits during the halftime show
The eight-time Grammy winner sang and danced his way through a lively 13-minute performance that included so many of his hits, from “Caught Up” to “Confessions Pt. II” to “Burn,” and many more!
Surprise halftime show appearances by Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Will.i.am, and Ludacris
With Usher performing during the halftime show, many fans wondered who the surprise guests would be. Would Justin Bieber make an appearance? Would Taylor Swift grace the stage? Usher’s a prolific artist, so the options were practically endless. Right away, he proved why he’s such an in-demand and memorable artist with some stellar vocals and fancy footwork.
In the first surprise appearance, Usher pointed to reveal Alicia Keys playing a giant red piano. They sang a little duet from “If I Ain’t Got You” before launching into their hit 2004 song, “My Boo.” Keys was sporting a sequined jumpsuit that complimented Usher’s glittering white getup.
Later on, Lil Jon appeared from the crowd to give us a little rendition of “Turn Down For What, then he joined Usher for — what else? — “Yeah!” Of course, it wouldn’t have been complete without Ludacris coming through to perform his verse. Other delightful appearances we didn’t see coming included Will.i.am, Jermaine Dupri, and H.E.R. Safe to say, it was a halftime show to remember!
A streaker ran across the field
Yes, this actually happened — but it was so quick, you might have missed it. During the third quarter, a man attempted to streak across the field. He was quickly apprehended by security and escorted off the field, and he kept his pants on.
