National Anthem Controversy Erupts at Cowboys-Eagles NFL Kickoff Game

As Grammy-winning hometown heroes Boyz II Men declared in the days leading up to the kickoff, “Philly, it doesn’t get bigger than this. Opening night. Prime time. Cowboys vs. Eagles.” They weren’t wrong. The anticipation was a tangible thing, a current running through the Lincoln Stadium. But the group’s follow-up statement.

“And we’ve got the honor of singing the anthem right here at home. Let’s make some noise, Philadelphia!” took on a meaning far beyond what anyone could have anticipated. The noise made wasn’t just cheers; it was a digital firestorm of critique and controversy that erupted before the first snap.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott relished it while behind him, a row of teammates and staff mirrored the pose, some with hands over their hearts, all united in the ritual. In the foreground, the vast U.S. flag rippled, held steady by a line of individuals on the field, a stark, still symbol of unity contrasting the fractious opinions.

The opening chords of the evening, however, belonged to jazz songstress and lifelong Eagles fan Laurin Talese. Her rendition of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ a hymn with deep historical significance often referred to as the Black National Anthem, was met with a wall of sound of an indifferent crowd chatter.

As Ellen Duncan aptly tweeted, seemingly foreseeing the chaos, “Just here to see yalls comments on the national anthem 👀.” She, like the rest of the world, got exactly what she came for.

The reaction online was swift and severe, splitting fans along a familiar fault line. One viewer encapsulated the divide, writing, “Here we go with the DEI ‘lift every voice and sing’ anthem. Ridiculous. Sing the national anthem!” For Talese, a woman who told the Eagles, “I’m feeling so excited and honored… I love feeling the pulse of the city.” The city’s pulse that night was a dissonant rhythm.

A Night of Anthems and Antagonism

As one fan lamented, “It was ok! For those of that grew up with Boyz II Men, it felt like Mike Tyson fight Jake Paul” If Talese’s performance was met with divisive chatter, what followed was a chorus of unified, if harsh, criticism. Boyz II Men, Philly’s own, took the stage to perform the Star-Spangled Banner. Their signature harmonies, usually a source of immense local pride, were immediately called into question. The reception was brutal.

“One of the worst renditions of America’s National Anthem I have ever heard,” tweeted Gloria Merriman, a sentiment echoed across platforms. Another fan quipped, “Didn’t care for it, sounded more like a Christmas carol,” while others were less polite, simply labeling it “Awful” and the performers “Degenerates.”

The think-piece account New World Disorder blasted the entire sequence, tweeting, “Nobody paid attention to the dumb Black National Anthem… @BoyzIIMen ‘sang’ the National Anthem totally off-key.” The group’s own words before the game now seemed haunting.

Wanya Morris had spoken of the city’s unique passion, saying, “When you look at our fans in Philly, it’s the passion… We’re not the worst, we’re just the most passionate.” That passion, it turns out, is not reserved for the players alone.

As the game heads toward halftime, the true opening-night battle was already fought in the space between the notes of two anthems, leaving a nation of football fans to argue not about a fumble or a touchdown, but about tradition, representation, and what exactly we’re all supposed to be listening for when the ball hasn’t even been kicked.