Rihanna has turned down headlining the iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show in support of Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL player who kicked off the league's kneeling controversy.
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The 'Umbrella' hitmaker opted to skip the February, 2019 sporting event, which in recent years has seen performances from the likes of Prince, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and The Who.
Kaepernick is a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who hasn't played since the 2016 season, when he faced a vicious backlash for protesting police brutality and racial inequality.
He filed a grievance against the NFL in November, 2017, accusing them of colluding to keep him off the field.
"The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year's performer in Atlanta," an insider told US Weekly.
"They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn't agree with the NFL's stance."
Controversy over players kneeling for the US national anthem included having them labelled "sons of bitches" by US President Donald Trump. The former Celebrity Apprentice host also urged the NFL to fire any player who silently protested in such a fashion.
More recently, Nike unveiled Kaepernick as the face of a high-profile ad campaign built around the slogan: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."
Maroon 5 is reportedly stepping in for Rihanna to headline the Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show.
Newshub.
