Overview
- Nathaniel Rateliff, a Denver native best known for fronting the Night Sweats, sang the national anthem before Broncos–Patriots at Empower Field after prior anthem turns at a 2015 Broncos game and the NBA Finals in Denver.
- Viewers on social platforms criticized his rendition as off-key and awkward, with posts describing missed notes and calling the performance one of the worst they had heard.
- Broadcast cameras caught Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs turning away and doing jumping jacks during the anthem, a moment some fans labeled disrespectful.
- The Mirror reported that country singer Zach Top is slated to perform the anthem before the Seahawks–Rams game at Lumen Field later in the evening.
- Coverage contrasted Rateliff’s reception with last week’s widely praised Jim Cornelison performance and noted heightened scrutiny after a recent college-football microphone mishap.