The buzz around Taylor Swift headlining the Super Bowl halftime show has officially cooled off.
After months of rumors, a new report claims the pop superstar won’t be taking the stage after the NFL reportedly turned down the conditions she set for the deal.
Reports of Taylor Swift headlining the Super Bowl halftime show have hit a dead end after negotiations with the NFL reportedly fell apart.
According to Rob Shuter’s Substack — later echoed by outlets like NBC affiliate WCNC — Swift’s team was pushing for terms that matched her superstar status. She wasn’t asking for special treatment, insiders said, but rather for respect: ownership of her performance and slots to promote her own projects.
The NFL, however, stuck to its long-standing rule of not paying halftime performers and “flatly refused” her requests.
This comes just weeks after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell kept speculation alive by telling NBC’s Today that Swift would be “welcome at any time,” before adding a cautious: “It’s a maybe.”
Historically, the league has defended its policy by pointing to the halftime stage’s reach — an audience of more than 100 million — treating the exposure itself as compensation. For most artists, that’s been enough. But for Swift, fresh off her record-shattering Eras Tour, the platform wasn’t enticing without creative control.
With the “Cruel Summer” star reportedly out of the running, the NFL is said to be considering other names. Adele remains in discussions, while Miley Cyrus has also surfaced as a possible contender.
