Steve Carrier on February 9, 2026
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show may have dominated headlines, but it wasn’t the only source of controversy. The night took a sharp political turn even before kickoff—thanks to a heated debate about the “Black National Anthem” being performed during the pregame ceremony.
Conservative sports commentator Jon Root lit the match with a pointed post on X/Twitter, slamming the NFL’s decision to feature “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“The United States of America has ONLY ONE National Anthem. Kicking off the #SuperBowl, in the year of our great nation’s 250th birthday, with the ‘Black National Anthem’, is a disgrace & racially divisive…”
AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes wasn’t having it. He fired back with a quote tweet that aimed directly at Root’s argument.
“Why can't there be both? Sounds like you are the devisor Jon! You should bury your head up ur ass and keep it there. STOP DIVIDING US!”
That response didn’t sit well with former WWE star Lars Sullivan, who jumped in with a take that quickly escalated the discourse—and directly called out Rhodes for what he sees as performative outrage.
“Where’s the Asian or White national anthem? The black national anthem also objectively sucks. Stop virtue signaling to the commies Dustin, they will always hate you no matter what you say.”
The comments ignited a firestorm online, turning Dustin Rhodes’ message of unity into a lightning rod for criticism. Supporters praised Rhodes for standing up against division, while others accused him of pandering and fueling the very culture war he claimed to oppose.
The Super Bowl’s performance lineup and pregame rituals have long drawn attention, but this year’s wave of cultural and political commentary made sure the show wasn’t just about touchdowns and halftime.
Do you think Dustin Rhodes was trying to unify—or did his message backfire? Is the concept of multiple national anthems patriotic or problematic? Drop your take in the comments.
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