Kendrick Lamar performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans.

In a surprise opening to Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance during Super Bowl LIX, Samuel L. Jackson went front and center dressed as Uncle Sam before introducing Lamar to the stage. In line with the theme of "The Great American Game," Jackson was dressed in full red, white and blue garb to introduce the act and then play a role within it.

I’m not sure when else you’d see a Pulitzer Prize winner performing the halftime show at Super Bowl LIV, but 2025 owes us one, apparently. And so, Kendrick Lamar (who also won five Grammys at last week’s ceremony) hit the stage along with “unexpected” guest SZA — to perform 15 minutes of his biggest hits as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs hit their locker rooms to prepare for the second half.