Taylor Swift reveals why she didn't want to do the Super Bowl halftime show
Taylor Swift is setting the record straight – she did not turn down the Super Bowl halftime show because of ownership rights over performance footage.
The singer went on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" to promote her newest era, " The Life of a Showgirl ." In extended interview footage posted online hours after the broadcast, Fallon asks her about a rumor that she turned down the NFL.
"No, no," she answered. "Here's the thing. Jay-Z has always been really good to me. Our teams are really close."
Jay-Z owns Roc Nation, the entertainment company responsible for choosing the Apple Music halftime show headliner. Swift reiterated she had never received a formal offer or a conference room conversation for the 2026 entertainment gig extended to Bad Bunny .
In "The Life of a Showgirl," Taylor Swift shows she's a woman in love and "proudly flaunts the physical and emotional attributes of her man," USA TODAY critic Melissa Ruggieri writes. Here are some of the lyrics on the album that nod to Travis Kelce.
(Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, courtesy of TAS Rights Management)"We're always able to tell him the truth, which is that I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that field," she said, explaining that the real reason is she is dedicated to cheering on her fiancé, Travis Kelce , this season. "Like that is violent chess. That is gladiators without swords. That is dangerous. The whole season, I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field. Can you imagine if he's out there every single week, putting his life on the line doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, high-intensity sport, and I'm like, 'I wonder what my choreo should be?'"
Full recap: Taylor Swift tackles rumors, rapid-fire questions and explains 'Wood' on Jimmy Fallon
As Swift filmed in New York City, Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs were playing in the matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars . The Florida team beat Kansas City for the first time since 2009.
Swifties had hoped the singer would perform at Levi Stadium in February after going down a rabbit hole, thinking she hinted at the show during her Aug. 13 "New Heights" podcast. She spoke about how she thinks of bread 60% of the time, while the mascot of the 49ers – where Super Bowl LX will be played – is Sourdough Sam. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also stoked the flames when he said on the Today Show that Swift would "maybe" be the halftime performer.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Taylor Swift explains why she passed on the Super Bowl halftime show
