Joe Manganiello recently suggested Metallica perform at the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show.
“Just saying… next year’s Super Bowl is at San Francisco’s home stadium… How about a little known local band named Metallica for the half time show…?” the actor wrote on X.
Just saying… next year’s Super Bowl is at San Francisco’s home stadium… How about a little known local band named @Metallica for the half time show…? pic.twitter.com/Ugt9yLOhbT
— JOE MANGANIELLO (@JoeManganiello) February 10, 2025
Still, fans had some concerns over Manganiello’s suggestion. One person said in the comments, “Unfortunately I don’t see the NFL allowing anything besides rap for the foreseeable future.”
Unfortunately I don’t see the NFL allowing anything besides rap for the foreseeable future
— Ƭ̵̬̊ (@theforza65dude) February 11, 2025
Another one was also hopeless, sharing, “Unfortunately Jay Z and his label have a huge creative inflation who gets to perform at the halftime show. Almost no chance they let Metallica get the nod. Sadly.”
Unfortunately Jay Z and his label have a huge creative inflation who gets to perform at the halftime show. Almost no chance they let Metallica get the nod. Sadly.
— TheGeneral (@thegeneralsordi) February 11, 2025
“Not everyone can handle heavy metal,” one other fan wrote. Another person added, “Please god no!! Lars Ulrich is the worst drummer to ever attempt to play drums. Let Metallica die, they’re old, find newer, younger, better music. Jesus f*ck people need to let go of their past.”
Not everyone can handle heavy metal
— GodwillsaveCali (@iwntbowdn) February 11, 2025
Eddie Trunk also reposted Joe’s tweet and said, “Impossible Joe. They actually play instruments and sing and play this genre called rock. . Expressly forbidden on all awards shows and halftime performances..”
Impossible Joe. They actually play instruments and sing and play this genre called rock. . Expressly forbidden on all awards shows and halftime performances.. https://t.co/fJQ1DCbGAk
— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) February 11, 2025
After Super Bowl 2025, fans are already thinking about next year’s game. The 2026 Super Bowl will be in Santa Clara, California, close to Metallica’s headquarters. James Hetfield has said before that Metallica might not be right for the Super Bowl.
In a 2016 interview with Nikki Sixx, he explained why the band hadn’t performed at the event, saying, “I can’t dance, I can’t jump around, I’m not an acrobat, I’m not a variety show, you know? We are artists. We’re a band. We love playing songs. We’re not gonna fly through the air on a sparkly star with a unicorn.”
The singer added, “It’s become less about music unfortunately and more about just the spectacle. When we played for the fiftieth anniversary of the NFL… right here in our hometown and they didn’t have us do it… that would have been the time. Maybe that time has passed?”
Kendrick Lamar performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans on February 9. After his performance, fans are speculating about who could headline next year’s show. Some possibilities include SZA, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, BTS, Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Metallica, and Linkin Park. Billboard recently started a poll for the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
