Grunge overlords Soundgarden have only played live a few times since the sudden, tragic 2017 death of frontman Chris Cornell, and they've had some legal issues with Cornell's widow Vicky in the years since. But the band and Vicky Cornell reconciled in 2023, and they performed at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction last year. Next month, Soundgarden's surviving members will play another extremely high-profile gig when they serve as the halftime show performers at the NFL's season opener.
NFL pre-season games are already in full swing, and the Seattle Seahawks, Soundgarden's hometown team, are the current NFL champions. The Seahawks will open the 2026 season with a Sep. 9 game against their Super Bowl opponents the New England Patriots at Seattle's Lumen Field. Today, Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and Matt Cameron announced that they'll play that game's halftime show, under the Soundgarden name and everything.
At the halftime show, Soundgarden will be joined by the Pretty Reckless leader and former Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen, as well as Matt Cameron's former Pearl Jam bandmate Mike McCready. Momsen reunited with her How The Grinch Stole Christmas co-star Jim Carrey to induct Soundgarden into the Hall Of Fame last year, and she and McCready joined the band to perform "Rusty Cage" at the ceremony.
The NFL season opener goes down 9/9, and it'll air on NBC and stream on Peacock. I'm guessing that the Soundgarden performance will be part of the broadcast, but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Mike McCready will also perform the National Anthem at the game.
