With the Super Bowl Set for This Sunday, Paul McCartney Reveals How He Became a Fan of American Football
With the 2025 Super Bowl taking place this Sunday, Paul McCartney has revealed in online Q&A how he became a fan of American football.
Super Bowl LIX takes place this Sunday, February 9, at the Superdome in New Orleans. Did you known that almost exactly 23 years ago at the very same stadium, Paul McCartney performed at Super Bowl XXXVI with his current touring band for the very first time?
The former Beatles star, along with Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray, Wix Wickens, and Abe Laboriel Jr. played Paulās then-new song āFreedomā prior to the start of the game as part of a tribute to those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks.
[RELATED: Paul McCartney Releasing 50th Anniversary Half-Speed-Mastered Vinyl Version of Wingsā Chart-Topping Venus and Mars Album]
Then, in 2005, McCartney and his band returned to play the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sir Paul also attended quite a few other Super Bowls, including the 2024 game. At that event, held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the Beatles legend was spotted hanging out with Taylor Swift, whose boyfriend, Jason Kelce, plays tight end for Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs.
In honor of the upcoming Super Bowl and McCartneyās history with the popular sporting event, the British rock legendās official website posted Sir Paulās reply to a fan who asked how he got into American football.
McCartney explained that his fandom developed because of his U.S.-born late first wife, Linda.
āWell, being married to Linda meant I was in America quite a bit,ā he noted. āWe spent a lot of time there with her family and American Football was always on the television. I would watch it with everyone but not really know what was going on!ā
McCartney continued, āThen Linda gave me a big clue. She said ā¦ āWhen the two teams line up against each other, thereās a guy who receives the ball. Keep an eye on him, heās called the quarterback, and heās going to pass it to someone. All the action comes from him.ā So, once I had that clue, I found it much easier to follow.ā
He added, āI watched a lot of it and grew to really like it, because itās quite a complicated and strategic gameāand obviously very athletic.ā
Sir Paul then pointed out that in his U.K. homeland, āwe used to laugh at [American football], saying, āThey wear all those pads and protective gear. We donāt, weāve got rugby, a proper sport!āā He concluded, āI got over all that, and found I really liked it. So yeah, Iām a big fan of football, American-style.ā
Meanwhile, McCartney also revealed that during his Got Back Tour, he took part in an NFL pool with his road crew to choose the weekly winners. He admitted that he enjoyed some success in the contest, which apparently didnāt sit too well with the crew.
āYeah! Some of the crew bring a form around and you tick off who you think is going to win,ā Paul explained. āI won once and everyone hated me! They said, āOh god, oh no!ā Because of course thereās money involved and Iām their boss. But I said, āDonāt worry, Iāll give the winnings to charity.ā It was only that one time. But, believe me, it was a thrill!!ā
Super Bowl LIX will feature last yearās champs, the Chiefs, taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Chiefs are victorious, theyāll become the first NFL team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
This yearās halftime performer is rap star Kendrick Lamar. It remains to be seen if McCartney will be at the Superdome watching the game.