Daniel Negreanu wasn’t impressed. Neither were plenty of other poker pros. Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime performance had social media buzzing—just not in the way the NFL might have hoped.
While the Philadelphia Eagles trounced the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans, the game wasn’t the only thing people called a disaster. The halftime show, which featured Lamar in a 13-minute set, drew heavy criticism from fans and celebrities alike. Among the loudest voices? Some of the biggest names in poker.
Negreanu’s Poll Says It All
Daniel Negreanu, one of poker’s most recognizable figures, didn’t mince words. He took to X (formerly Twitter), asking his 572,000 followers for their thoughts on the performance. The results? A landslide.
Nearly 19,000 votes were cast at the time of publishing, with over 60% labeling it “the worst” halftime show ever. Only 15% thought it was great. Negreanu made his stance clear, calling it the worst in Super Bowl history.
The six-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner didn’t just stop at criticism. He shared his own favorites from past halftime performances—Usher, Shakira, Miley Cyrus, and the Super Bowl 50 lineup featuring Snoop Dogg and Eminem.
One thing’s for sure: the poker community was far from divided on this one.
Poker Pros Pile On
Allen Kessler, another well-known figure in poker circles, wasn’t shy about his opinion either. He fired off a tweet calling the show “embarrassingly bad” compared to previous years.
Eric Mizrachi took it even further, tweeting:
“I’d rather watch Britney Spears perform than him!”
It wasn’t just a few voices here and there. The poker world seemed to be in agreement that Lamar’s performance didn’t live up to the hype. But not everyone was on board with the criticism.
The Backlash: “You’re Just Old”
Not all poker players saw things the same way. Josh Arieh, a four-time WSOP bracelet winner, fired back at Negreanu, simply saying:
“You’re just old.”
Brent Hanks, a poker player and PokerGO commentator, had a different theory. He claimed that only two groups of people disliked the show: old people and Drake. The latter is, of course, currently locked in a rap feud with Lamar.
That’s the thing about Super Bowl halftime shows—there’s always controversy. One person’s favorite is another person’s disaster. But judging by the overwhelming reaction from poker players, this one didn’t seem to sit well with them.
Halftime Show or Chiefs’ Offensive Line: Which Was Worse?
There’s one thing Kendrick Lamar can be thankful for—he wasn’t the biggest letdown of the night. That title belonged to the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line.
Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP, had one of his worst performances ever. The Chiefs’ offense failed to score a single point in the first half, trailing 34-0 at one point.
While the Eagles’ defense played lights-out football, Kansas City looked completely out of sync. If there’s any silver lining for the Chiefs, it’s that their disastrous performance helped take some of the heat off Lamar’s halftime show.
Maybe, just maybe, that’s a win in itself.
