Before kickoff, Super Bowl LVII held a pregame show that featured a wide array of performances, including country singer Chris Stapleton, 12-time Grammy winner Babyface, Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph and more.

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Stapleton gave an emotional rendition of the national anthem that moved many players and Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni to tears.

Afterward, the U.S. Navy conducted a flyover above the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, celebrating 50 years of women flying in the navy.

In addition to “The Star-Splangled Banner,” there were performances of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Ralph and “America the Beautiful” by Babyface.

However, three other performers — Oscar-winning CODA actor Troy Kotsur, deaf Navajo scholar Colin Denny and deaf TikTok star Justina Miles — made history by raising the bar for inclusivity at the Super Bowl.

In her NFL press conference interview, Miles said, “I value the opportunity to make it possible for all deaf people to enjoy these songs and not have them miss out on the full Super Bowl experience.”

Kotsur performed the national anthem in American Sign Language (ASL) while Denny signed “America the Beautiful” in both ASL and Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL).

For many, this was seen as a positive step to the NFL’s often-criticized history of appropriating Native American culture.

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Alex Nguyen

Article by Alex Nguyen

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