Netflix announced on Tuesday that legendary Irish rock band U2 will headline the first-ever Thanksgiving Eve halftime show. The show, which will be headlined by the band celebrating 50 years since its formation in 1976, will take place at halftime of the Green Bay Packers’ clash against the Los Angeles Rams.

NFL Fans Unmoved by Thanksgiving Eve Halftime Show Band

After the news was announced, several NFL fans on X criticized the choice of entertainment.

One fan was incensed that an American band was not picked to headline the event during one of the country’s biggest holidays.

“Why not feature an American band for one of the country’s most sacred holidays?” The fan asked.

Another fan slammed the league for not listening to its fanbase. “Who asked for this? The NFL is so tone deaf to its entire fanbase,” the fan complained.

One fan was unsure whether the choice of entertainment would land with the NFL’s current demographic.

“U2 was popular more 15 years ago than now. This is dumb,” the fan remarked.

Another fan gave a sarcastic verdict after the news broke on Tuesday. “AWESOME!!! Now my grandpa will be jamming and happy,” the fan wrote.

One fan confirmed that he wouldn’t watch U2 performing during the vaunted halftime show. “I’ll be sure to find something to do during halftime,”the fan posted.

Another fan gave a withering assessment of U2’s relevance to the current generation.

“Who listens to U2. NFL has turned into a clown show,” the fan blasted.

U2 headlined the Super Bowl 36 halftime show in 2002, during which the New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams. This year’s holiday game at SoFi Stadium will be streamed live on Netflix, reflecting the platform’s trend of featuring big names in major holiday broadcasts.

Beyoncé performed at halftime during the Houston Texans’ Christmas Day game against the Baltimore Ravens, while Snoop Dogg headlined the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings Christmas Day clash last year.

Puck’s Dave Brooks reported, citing multiple sources, that Jay-Z has been selected to headline the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show. Brooks noted that Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL to curate and produce the halftime show began in 2019 and was renewed in 2024

Musicians Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber were reportedly under consideration to headline Super Bowl 61 as well. Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny headlined last season’s event, which drew both praise and criticism.