Dedicated Soundgarden fans are airing their grievances online after the NFL failed to broadcast the band’s halftime show in Seattle. As reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks kicked off the 2026 football season on September 9 against the Patriots. But the halftime show meant even more to Soundgarden fans.
The band came together for a two-song set, with Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam stepping into Chris Cornell’s shoes. They played “Outshined” and “Spoonman”, bringing out the latter for the first time since Cornell’s death in 2017.
But for such an important moment, fans watching at home were given nothing. The halftime show wasn’t broadcast on NBC, with the only video footage coming from fans at the game. Later, the Seahawks website posted photos of the performance. It’s also likely that the footage will be posted through official channels soon.
But the fact that the significance of the performance wasn’t even discussed hasn’t sat well with some fans. According to several online discussions, fans watching the broadcast could see some of the show in the background as commentators talked over it. They could just make out Taylor Momsen on the Jumbotron in the corner.
Fans Watching Seahawks Game at Home Missed Soundgarden Halftime, and They’re Not Happy About It
While some fans are incensed by what seems like a total disregard for Soundgarden, others explained there was a pretty good reason the show wasn’t broadcast. A discussion on the Soundgarden subreddit provided some context.
“Just so everyone knows, this wasn’t a slight to Soundgarden or anything,” one fan noted. “They literally NEVER show halftime performances unless it’s the playoffs or something special (like Thanksgiving).”
The significance of the regular-season kickoff combined with Soundgarden’s legacy as a hometown band seems like good enough reasons to air the halftime show. But the NFL has its rules, allegedly. What really has fans upset is the fact that Soundgarden’s appearance wasn’t acknowledged during the broadcast. Additionally, the NFL made a point to announce the halftime show a few days before the game, then didn’t even air it.
Taylor Momsen reunited with Soundgarden to provide vocals once again, as she did during their 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Meanwhile, prior to kickoff, Mike McCready performed the national anthem. According to fans on Reddit, one of the announcers noted how “Seattle” it was to have McCready open the game. There was allegedly no such comment for Soundgarden’s halftime show.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The post Fans Enraged After NFL Broadcast Skipped Soundgarden Halftime Show During Seattle Game appeared first on VICE.
