At Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks outclassed the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX. While Bad Bunny electrified the halftime stage with hits like ‘Tití Me Pregunto’ and ‘BAILE INOLVIDABLE’, Serena Williams unexpectedly seized the spotlight off-field, as her commercial stirred debate and drew sharp fan backlash over promoting weight-loss drugs.

The commercial aired during the first half of the Seahawks vs Patriots Super Bowl clash. Serena Williams appeared in the ad, drawing immediate attention.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion was shown injecting a GLP-1 medication. She also ordered a new pill version through Ro’s mobile app.

Williams has a personal link to the company. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an investor and also serves on Ro’s board.

In the advertisement, she revealed a major transformation. She shared that she lost 15 kg (33 lb) using a GLP-1 receptor agonist.

The treatment is monitored through a mobile app. Williams has been using it since the end of her second pregnancy in 2024.

She explained that the decision came after a difficult struggle. Despite strict training and a disciplined lifestyle, she could not reach a healthy weight naturally.

GLP-1 agonists are primarily used to control blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. Some versions are also prescribed to help manage obesity.

In August 2025, she spoke to People magazine about her journey. Williams said: “I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained. It was crazy because I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at.”

Serena Williams also highlighted her experience with Ro in the Super Bowl ad. “I’m moving better on Ro,” she says in the ad. “I’m feeling better on Ro.” In a recent Instagram post, she shared more details about her progress. The tennis legend posted lab results and claimed some health markers are now better than during her professional career.

“Since being on GLP-1s, my lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease has decreased by 19%,” she says. She also revealed that her total cholesterol levels improved by 30%. “I’m not surprised at how good I feel.”

However, the reaction was swift and intense. As soon as the commercial aired during Super Bowl LX, fans began criticizing the icon for promoting weight-loss drugs.

Fans criticize Serena over controversial Super Bowl advertisement 

Fans reacted strongly after Serena Williams’ Super Bowl advertisement went live. The commercial quickly drew attention across social media. Many viewers questioned her decision to promote a weight-loss medication, and the backlash grew within hours.

One fan added, “This! Serena Williams is a fit Strong athlete in amazing shape…why on earth would she need or want to take a weight loss drug! More importantly, what message is that sending to the rest of us! Shameful!”

While another fan wrote, “Must need the money??” The debate also brought up the timeline of her decision. Williams’ journey with the medication actually began earlier, during her post-pregnancy recovery phase.

The drug use for normalising her body dates back to 2024. Williams welcomed her daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023. She and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, also have an eight-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

Williams later revealed to People that she started using the medication in 2024 after she stopped breastfeeding Adira. She explained her frustration with her body despite maintaining discipline and consistency in her routine.

“I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard,” she added. “I know what it takes to be the best. So it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked.”

However, criticism continued to grow online. Another fan added, “One of the greatest athletes in the world shamelessly now promoting weight loss drugs? I fear truly saddened by this, nobody should be encouraging people to take weight loss drugs, but especially not a role model, inspiration and icon of a sport. I really fear for the future.” Another netizen added, “Money will make people do anything.”

In the advertisement for Ro, Williams also defended her choice. She explained that medical support played a key role in her recovery and health journey after pregnancy.

“They say GLP-1s for weight loss is a shortcut. It’s not, it’s science.” She added, “I trained at the highest level, ate a clean diet, pushed myself, and still, after having kids, my body just wouldn’t respond,” before saying, “I realized it wasn’t about willpower; it was biological. My body needed the GLP-1 and clinical support.”

The debate around her endorsement is still ongoing. Reactions remain divided across platforms. One fan simply wrote, “Greed!” 

With Serena now facing heavy criticism from fans worldwide, opinions remain sharply split over her latest move.