The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints faced off at Stade de France on Sunday, with a jazz-style performance of the national anthem by The Soul Rebels drawing mixed reactions from fans. The eight-piece brass ensemble, originally from New Orleans, played an instrumental version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the pregame festivities. This unique rendition contrasted sharply with the traditional versions typically heard before NFL games, though the style aligned with the French influence on New Orleans, the band's home city.
In the days leading up to the match, The Soul Rebels released a new track titled "Saints in Paris." According to NOLA, the group was scheduled to perform on the sideline at the end of each quarter. The band had previously performed during pregame festivities for Super Bowl LIX in 2025 in New Orleans. The decision to feature a brass band for the anthem generated a split response among viewers. Some fans praised the choice, with one user on X calling it a "perfect touch" and suggesting the person responsible for the idea should receive a raise. Others criticized the performance, with one user describing it as potentially the "new worst national anthem" and another simply rating it as a negative experience.
The game proceeded despite ongoing civil unrest in and around Paris. On Saturday, the French government estimated that 110,000 protesters, including students, workers, farmers, socialists, communists, pro-Palestine Muslims, anarchists, Antifa members, and other radicals, took to the streets to march and confront police. The unrest prompted Paris Saint-Germain, one of the world's most popular soccer teams, to reschedule its Saturday match to Monday. President Donald Trump expressed concern about the NFL proceeding with the game as scheduled, suggesting it could have been postponed. Despite these external pressures and the controversial anthem performance, the Steelers and Saints kickoff went ahead without interruption.