Pop star Rihanna said thanks but no thanks when asked by the NFL and CBS to perform during the halftime show at the Super Bowl early next year because of quarterback-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick.
According to US Weekly, Rihanna cited the NFL's National Anthem controversy, which Kaepernick started in 2016 by taking a knee during the song before games, and the league's updated anthem policy.
"The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year's performer in Atlanta," an anonymous source told US Weekly. "They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn't agree with the NFL's stance."
Maroon 5 was then asked to perform, an invitation the band accepted. The 2019 Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Kaepernick has remained a free agent since the end of the 2016 season. His decision to take a knee during the National Anthem was a protest to perceived injustices against minorities. The league was plagued with National Anthem protests that season and in 2017.
The NFL owners approved a new policy in May that requires players to stand during the anthem while on the field or stay in the locker room during the playing of the song.
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