Just imagine this, the biggest football night colliding with the music’s biggest name. That’s the scenario NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell created, when he spoke about the Super Bowl LX halftime show. He didn’t confirm it, and also he didn’t deny it either. He left the talks open.
On The Today Show, Goodell was asked if Taylor Swift might perform in Santa Clara next February. His reply? “It’s a maybe.”
He quickly added, “We would always love to have Taylor play. She is a special, special talent, and obviously she would be welcome at any time.” And then, with a smile, he admitted he’s “definitely a Swiftie.”
Goodell kept it light but made clear the decision rests with Jay-Z. Roc Nation, which produces the show, holds the keys. “I’m waiting on my friend Jay-Z,” Goodell said, hinting that fans would need patience for the official news to come in.
The NFL has a rhythm when it comes to halftime announcements. In recent years, the league rolled out names every September. Kendrick Lamar got the nod on Sept. 8, 2024. Usher landed his gig on the third Sunday of the 2023 season. Rihanna’s reveal came at the same point a year earlier. Even the 2021 all-star lineup of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Lamar arrived on Sept. 30.
Swift’s name coming up around that timeline felt almost inevitable. By then, she had become a fixture in the NFL orbit. Her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce turned her into a regular at games. The league saw younger audiences tune in. Retail numbers jumped as her gameday outfits created trends. Swifties even turned into full-on NFL fans.
She also had a history with the league before the Kelce chapter. She sang the National Anthem at the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game in 2006 and also opened the NFL’s 2010 season in New Orleans. After that, in the 2019 NFL Draft, she announced a single. And she premiered a teaser for Midnights during Thursday Night Football in 2022.
By late August 2025, Swift had announced her engagement to Kelce and teased her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. With the release date set for Oct. 3, the timing lined up perfectly. If she stepped on stage at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026, she could be playing fresh tracks in front of the world’s largest TV audience.
Roger Goodell simply left fans wondering and hoping that Super Bowl LX would belong to Taylor Swift.
