Like fans around the world, Lamar Jackson wants to watch Beyoncé during halftime of Wednesday’s Christmas game between his Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans.
So what should the Ravens quarterback do? The answer is simple. He goes to look.
Jackson was asked Monday if it was disappointing that Beyoncé performed during a halftime show that he couldn’t watch. It turns out it won’t be a problem for Jackson – at least in his eyes.
“No, because I’m going to look over there,” Jackson said. “I’m going to go out there and watch, man. First time I see Beyoncé perform, and it’s at our game. That’s amazing.
“I’ll go over there and look. Sorry, Harbaugh. Sorry. Sorry, guys.’
Ravens coach John Harbaugh has not spoken out.
If Jackson sneaks out of the locker room to attend the halftime show, he wouldn’t be the first player to do so. Although he may be the first to announce his plans in advance. And he could be the starting quarterback.
Past players sneak out to attend the halftime show
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson famously watched the halftime show headlined by Dr. Dre when Cincinnati played and lost to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. Like Jackson, McPherson didn’t try to hide it. He stood on the field dancing and singing along in full view of the NBC cameras.
Bengals long snapper Clark Harris also watched the halftime show, but remained out of view of TV cameras. Months after the 23-20 loss at Cincinnati, Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons called his players’ halftime antics “a sore subject.”
He was particularly concerned about Harris missing special teams adjustments at halftime.
“I just couldn’t find him,” Simmons told The Athletic of Harris in 2022. “I’ve looked all over the dressing room and I can’t find him.
“I have to go ahead and make adjustments with everyone else. I had to move two players and make adjustments with the punt team. I don’t have the key to that. That’s what frustrated me the most.”
Harris told The Athletic that his absence “didn’t ruin anything.”
“Not being there didn’t ruin anything, but it could have been something,” Harris said.
Harris played with the Bengals the following season and then retired after a 15-season NFL career, mostly in Cincinnati.
Michael Irvin looked at Michael Jackson
Hall of Fame Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin also went to the Super Bowl locker room to watch Michael Jackson perform during Dallas’ 52-17 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII. At halftime, the Cowboys had a 28-10 lead. That was in 1993.
Irvin didn’t admit it until 2017. And he said he wasn’t the only one.
“Man, listen. Jimmy Johnson was trying to talk about the game plan and stuff,” Irvin said on the Rich Eisen show in 2017. “And we’re sitting here, ‘Come on coach.’ And then half of us sneak out to watch Michael Jackson…
“Because I wanted to go see Michael Jackson, man. That was just that moment. … “And the next day the critics were like, ‘The best halftime show ever.'”
Both Irvin and McPherson snuck out during the Super Bowls. Wednesday’s Ravens-Texans game is a matchup between late-season playoff teams, and the Ravens are battling the Steelers for the NFC North title. But the stakes are obviously lower. Meanwhile, the halftime show is Super Bowl caliber.
Will Jackson follow through on his rest plans in which projects become a competitive game? Or will Harbaugh put the kibosh on it before Jackson gets the chance?
