Some people watch the Super Bowl for the game. Some people watch the super bowl for the commercials. Some people watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show.

If you were watching Super Bowl LVI last night, you saw an epic performance by Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige. 

Prior to the halftime show, it was rumored that Eminem was going to do something he was banned from doing – taking a knee. If you watched the show, you know that he did in fact take a knee in the middle of the halftime show. The real question is if that action was a surprise to the NFL.

It turns out that the NFL knew Eminem was going to take a knee during the halftime show. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told HuffPost, “It was no surprise to us. We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that was going to happen.”

The action of taking a knee was started by Colin Kaepernick back in August 2016. Kaepernick would take a knee during the national anthem in protest to police brutality and racial injustice against Black people. Other athletes copied his action, not just in the NFL but in a variety of sports.

In 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, the NFL finally admitted they were wrong. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “We were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.” He added, “We, the NFL, believe Black lives matter.”

Watch the video below to see Eminem take a knee during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show and to hear more about his epic performance.

Were you watching the halftime show last night? Were you surprised that Eminem chose to take a knee during the show?