The music and beauty icon reportedly decided to forgo a halftime show opportunity because she disapproves of the NFL's ban on taking a knee during the national anthem.

Rihanna could have performed at the Super Bowl in 2019, but she decided&nbsp;to put her values first instead. The musician and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/rihanna-fenty-beauty-tutorial-2018" target="_blank">beauty icon</a>&nbsp;reportedly turned down an offer to be Super Bowl LIII&#39;s halftime act&nbsp;due to the NFL&#39;s stance against <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/colin-kaepernick-just-donated-1-million-to-charity" target="_blank">Colin Kaepernick</a>.

In 2016, Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem,&nbsp;describing&nbsp;this&nbsp;as a protest against the United States&#39; racial injustice, especially in regards to the police violence which sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. The decision sparked intense debate within cultural and political spheres, but ultimately the NFL banned&nbsp;on-field kneeling during the national anthem, a decision supported by conservatives including Donald Trump, while Kaepernick was named GQ Magazine&#39;s 2017 Citizen of the Year and appeared in a recent <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/nike-boycott-scapegoat-racism-2018" target="_blank">Nike</a> campaign.

News of Rihanna&#39;s decision is sure to please her fans, many of whom have come to love her for showcasing progressive&nbsp;values within her areas of expertise. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/rihanna-new-stunna-lip-shades-2018" target="_blank">Fenty Beauty</a> and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/rihanna-savage-x-fenty-fall-2018" target="_blank">Savage x Fenty</a> have inclusively reimagined makeup and lingerie respectively, and the star&#39;s&nbsp;philanthropy in health and education&nbsp;has made her both Harvard University&#39;s 2017 Humanitarian of the Year and an official Barbadian ambassador.

With her powerful influence and progressive history, it seems only natural that Rihanna would choose not to work with the NFL after the controversy of the past two years. While it&#39;s unclear as of yet how this news will affect the reputations of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/maroon-5-superbowl-setlist-2018" target="_blank">Maroon 5</a> and any future halftime performers, the star has proved her dedication to her values and brought further attention to potentially unjust undertones within American football&#39;s biggest organization.

Rihanna Turned Down the Super Bowl in Support of Colin Kaepernick

L'OFFICIEL USA June 2025 - Orlando Bloom Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA May 2025 - Isabela Merced Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA May 2025 - Ciara Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA March 2025 - Amanda Seyfried Cover 

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA APRIL 2025 - Jon Hamm Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA December 2024 - Julianne Moore Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA November 2024 - Salma Hayek Pinault Cover

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2024 - Rupert Friend Cover

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2024 - Joseph Quinn Cover

Rihanna Turned Down the Super Bowl in Support of Colin Kaepernick

Tags

Recommended posts for you

Shopping

13 Pieces of Red Lingerie That Feel Like Wearing a Power Move

Fashion

Where to Shop in the Hamptons Summer 2025

Men's

See All the Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2026 Looks

Men's

Paris Fashion Week Men's Spring/Summer 2026: All the Important News, Fashion Shows

Men's

Prada's Sensory Masculinity at the Spring/Summer 2026 Show

Fashion

See Every Outfit Beyoncé Wore on Her 'Cowboy Carter Tour'

Fashion

See All the Fashion Campaigns for Summer, Fall/Winter 2025

Fashion Week

Dolce & Gabbana Turns Pajamas into High Fashion for Spring/Summer 2026