Green Day took center stage during the opening ceremony of the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium. With the venue packed with Super Bowl royalty, the band welcomed several iconic figures onto the field, including the Manning brothers, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and Jerry Rice. But while the names on the field drew attention, it was the band’s frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, who ultimately dominated the conversation. Not just for the performance itself, but for what he slipped into the lyrics.

While performing songs from their 2004 album “American Idiot,” Armstrong altered a lyric mid-performance, saying, “Just start blending on mindf**K America.”

The moment didn’t last long on air. NBC quickly muted the line, forcing an on-the-fly censor during the live broadcast. And looking at it, that reaction wasn’t all that surprising. Green Day has long been under the spotlight for its outspoken political stance, particularly its vocal criticism of President Donald Trump and the U.S. immigration enforcement agency.

In several recent performances, the band has repeatedly made headlines for weaving political messaging into their lyrics, often updating American Idiot to reflect current events. That context is exactly why, once it was announced that Green Day would perform during the Super Bowl opening ceremony, many expected some form of political commentary.

Interestingly, though, the band avoided making any direct statements aimed at the Trump administration or ICE during the show. And it’s not hard to see why. The NFL is famously cautious when it comes to political messaging on its biggest stage. And the league likely had little interest in the kind of headlines that might follow an explicit political statement.

Still, even within those boundaries, Armstrong managed to push the line just enough to force NBC’s hand on censorship. With the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks battling it out in the Super Bowl, Green Day wrapped up its appearance with a four-song set before clearing the stage.

Now, attention shifts to halftime, where Bad Bunny will be performing. Whether he chooses to keep things strictly musical or make a statement of his own is something we’ll find out very soon.

A look at Green Day’s four-song set during the Super Bowl pregame show

“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard! We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world,” Billie Joe Armstrong said back in January when the league announced Green Day as one of the performers during the Super Bowl.

Fast forward to now, and with the Seahawks–Patriots matchup officially underway, the rock band has wrapped up its Super Bowl opening ceremony. With plenty of chatter beforehand around whether Green Day would make a political statement, the performance itself took a more controlled approach. The band opened with an instrumental version of “Good Riddance,” easing the crowd in before shifting gears.

From there, Green Day jumped into their Billboard Hot 100 hit “Holiday” (No. 19), instantly sending the Bay Area crowd into a frenzy. Staying true to their roots, the Bay Area natives then slowed things down with their No. 2 hit, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” before closing the set on a high note with a punchy rendition of “American Idiot” (No. 61).

Notably, despite the song’s history and reputation, the band avoided making any direct references to the state of American politics during American Idiot. And with Green Day’s performance now firmly in the rearview mirror, the spotlight shifts to the next major act of the night.

That said, all eyes are now on the halftime show. Bad Bunny will be taking the stage, and fans expect several cameos. And if history is any indication, surprises are very much on the table. We’ll soon find out just how much the halftime show has in store.