Taylor Swift Clarifies That She Never Declined the Super Bowl Halftime Show, She Was Just Too “Locked In”

07 October 2025

Taylor Swift on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'. The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon

On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Taylor Swift firmly addressed swirling rumors about her relationship with the Super Bowl halftime show. She denied that she ever said “no” because she would be forced to forfeit rights to her performance footage rumors that had circulated widely online. Instead, she explained that she was never presented with an official offer and that her focus is deeply invested in supporting her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce.

Swift made clear that she respects Roc Nation and Jay-Z, clarifying that her teams maintain close ties, but that those informal conversations didn’t amount to formal negotiations. She emphasized that her decision is not a slight against Kelce in fact, he would welcome her doing the halftime show but that she feels she cannot balance worrying about his safety on the field and preparing a halftime performance simultaneously.

She described the nature of professional football in pointed terms: “violent chess, gladiators without swords,” underlining how dangerous and high pressure every game is. Her emotional investment in Kelce’s season, she said, anchors her decision firmly. She joked about how absurd it would be if she were trying to choreograph a show mid-season while watching him battle week after week.

Swift also shot down suggestions that she declined the show over creative rights or control over footage. She stated those claims are false and reaffirmed that she never received a formal invitation. Meanwhile, the NFL and music world already named Bad Bunny as the headliner for the 2026 half-time show.

Her remarks were made in the context of promoting her album The Life of a Showgirl, in which the themes of performance and identity loom large. During the interview, she walked through rumor by rumor, giving clear answers about her relationship, her priorities, and her philosophies.

Swift’s approach in this conversation reflects a careful balancing act: she wants to maintain her agency, protect her personal life, and remain open about her feelings without letting rumors rewrite her story. Her narrative is one of conviction more than reticence.