Every National Anthem Performance in Sports History, Ranked

Idina Menzel brought full Broadway power to Super Bowl XLIX, delivering a big, theatrical anthem with sustained notes and dramatic emphasis. Technically strong and confidently sung, it leaned more stage musical than stadium ritual, which made it feel slightly outsized for the moment.

Reactions were polite but restrained. Critics acknowledged the vocal skill while noting it lacked surprise. The New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28–24 after a last-second interception, a finish so dramatic it erased almost everything that came before it.