NFL Draft national anthem performance slammed as 'worst of all time' by TV viewers
NFL fans have already been left raging ahead of the 2025 Draft after witnessing a
national anthem
described as the "worst of all time".
The wait is almost over
for more than 250 collegiate athletes
to begin finding out where they will be playing from next season but the event's grand opening left viewers with a sour taste in the mouth. Taking place at Lambeau Field in Green Bay,
Wisconsin
, it was down to American country rock artist Stephen Wilson Jr to get the festivities underway.
The
NFL
had already faced backlash over its decision to hand the gig to Wilson Jr, with many claiming to have never heard of him before, while others questioned why the draft even needs a national anthem in the first place. Once he started performing on Thursday evening, however, the NFL
would come under more fire
.
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As he began belting out The Star Spangled Banner, those watching from home quickly took to social media to voice their disappointment at the performance, with many accusing him of putting no effort into his national anthem rendition despite the grand occasion.
"Why it sound like this dude doesn't give a flying f*** about the national anthem," one person slammed on X (formerly Twitter). "Is the guy that's singing the national anthem on draft trying to be Chris Stapleton?? LMAOO" teased another.
A third person wrote: "What a horrible version of the national anthem", while a fourth posted: "This gotta be the worst national anthem performance ever." A fith user added: "Worst rendition of the national anthem I've ever heard."
The microbiologist-turned-musician , however, recently pulled out of performing at the charity festival Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans after announcing that his mother was in the ICU and "fighting" to stay alive following an ATV accident.
Wilson Jr took to social media to release a statement on the situation, in which he revealed that his mom was life-lined from a cornfield before undergoing surgery the following day. "I love her dearly & I can not leave her at this moment," the statement read. "... We are praying for a full recovery for her. thank you for understanding."
He is yet to provide an update on his mother's condition but wrote on Thursday that he was '"honored" to perform the national anthem at the Draft, which was last year performed by Caleb Carroll. Unfortunately, the majority of fans haven't shared his same sentiments.
The first round of the NFL Draft, or 32 picks, will be held on Thursday, with the second and third rounds set to be completed on Friday. Rounds four, five, six and seven will then be held on Saturday.
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