Rihanna Turns Down Super Bowl Halftime Show In Support Of Colin Kaepernick

Rihanna reportedly rejected an offer to headline at the NFL Super Bowl 2019 halftime show in support of Colin Kaepernick.

The singer had considered the offer to perform, but in the end turned down the opportunity. 

A source told Entertainment Tonight that Rihanna “stands with the players and Colin Kaepernick.”

“The NFL and Fox really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta,” a source 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.”

Rihanna’s fans are divided over her decision not to perform at the halftime show. Some have even taken to Twitter to express their feelings toward her decline. 

Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, was the first NFL player to protest racial inequality and police brutality by taking a knee during the national anthem at the NFL 2016 season games.

The athlete-turned-activist was frequently targeted by President Trump over the issue. At a rally in Alabama last year, Trump took a dig at Kaepernick, saying, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these  NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!”

This year the NFL sought to end the controversy over national anthem protests by creating a policy that would prevent players from protesting during the national anthem. The policy ended up being placed on hold after a wave of complaints from players and fans.