The NFL is considering Ed Sheeran for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, giving the singer another unexpected opportunity as he continues dealing with the controversy surrounding his decision to keep politics out of his concerts.
The possible offer comes after weeks of attention surrounding Sheeran’s U.S. tour, where his position on separating music from politics has sparked a heated debate.
According to NFL coordinator Alex Bruno, the league believes Sheeran could be the right person to headline the halftime performance and bring the focus back to music and entertainment.
“We learned quite a lot from Bad Bunny’s performance, and believe me, it was our biggest mistake,” Bruno said. “We want to make things right this time.”
Bruno said the NFL has been watching the reaction surrounding Sheeran and believes his recent rise in attention makes him an interesting choice for the Super Bowl stage.
“We stand with Ed and hope that he will accept our offer and perform at the upcoming Super Bowl,” Bruno said. “His popularity has exploded due to recent controversy.”
The potential invitation would come at a remarkable point in Sheeran’s career. The singer has spent much of the recent tour controversy explaining that he doesn’t want his concerts to become political platforms.
His position became even more prominent after the dispute surrounding Macklemore and the changes to Sheeran’s touring lineup. Several performers stepped away from upcoming dates, while other musicians publicly offered their support to Sheeran.
Instead of changing his approach, Sheeran has continued emphasizing that he wants people to attend his concerts simply to listen to music and enjoy themselves.
The NFL appears to be interested in that same philosophy for the halftime show.
“We’re looking for an artist who can bring people together,” Bruno said. “Ed has a huge audience, he knows how to entertain people and, most importantly, he knows how to put on a great concert.”
Bruno also suggested that Sheeran’s recent controversy has made him even more recognizable to audiences who may not have previously followed his career closely.
“Whether people agree with him or disagree with him, everybody seems to be talking about Ed,” Bruno said. “That’s a pretty powerful position to be in.”
Sheeran said he was surprised when he heard that the NFL was considering him.
“I’ll consider the offer,” he said. “I’m humbled by the opportunity. It’s an incredible stage, and obviously it’s something I would take very seriously.”
The singer said he would want to make sure that any performance remained centered around music.
“If I do it, I want people to have a great time,” Sheeran said. “That’s always been the goal with my concerts.”
A Super Bowl halftime appearance would give Sheeran one of the largest audiences of his career and could provide a dramatic change of scenery after the controversy surrounding his current tour.
For the NFL, Bruno said the goal is straightforward.
“We want an amazing halftime show,” he said. “We want people singing along, enjoying themselves and talking about the performance afterward.”
Whether Sheeran ultimately accepts the invitation remains unclear, but the possibility has already generated plenty of attention.
After weeks of controversy surrounding his decision to keep politics away from his performances, Sheeran could now find himself preparing for the biggest stage in American entertainment.
“I’m grateful to even be considered,” Sheeran said. “We’ll see where it goes from here.”
