Back in 2016, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality. Other NFL players followed and Kaepernick became the face of this controversial protest, leading to his banishment from the NFL this year. Some people — including Big & Rich’s John Rich — continued to castigate Kaepernick after he was prominently featured in a Nike ad campaign. Others — like Big Sean, Beyoncé, and, as of today, Rihanna — have voiced their support.
According to a source obtained by Us Weekly, Rihanna declined an offer to headline the Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show because she “supports Colin Kaepernick.” The source told Us, “The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta. They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance." Apparently, the NFL extended the offer to Maroon 5 after Rihanna rejected it.
