Super Bowl 2026: Halftime Show, History, and the Unforgettable Steelers Legacy

In just a few weeks, it’ll be that time again. The NFL season is heading down the home stretch, and while teams are battling for those last playoff spots, the football world is already buzzing about the grand finale. I’ve covered so many Super Bowls over the years that I’ve lost count, but this one—Super Bowl LX—already has a special kind of energy about it. You can feel it in the sports bars, around the training camps; everyone’s debating the big question: who’s taking home the Vince Lombardi Trophy?

Of course, these days the Super Bowl isn’t just about the game itself. The halftime break has become a world championship all its own. I remember years when the Super Bowl Halftime Show was more of a sideshow. Now? The entire entertainment industry holds its breath to see who gets to take the stage. Word on the street is the organisers are lining up a genuine surprise act this time—someone who’s never had that spotlight before. It takes me back to the big moments of the past. Take Super Bowl XXXVI, for instance. I was young back then, but that kick by Adam Vinatieri, sealing the Patriots’ first title—that was pure magic. And the show that year kicked off a new era, one where halftime became just as big as kickoff.

The Steelers and Their DNA: Where the Draft Becomes an Art Form

When I talk about the history of the Super Bowl, I can’t skip over the Pittsburgh Steelers. I’ve been lucky enough to witness plenty of legends from that franchise first-hand. The way that organisation has gone about its business for decades is just impressive. While other teams scramble in the draft to land the big-name star, the Steelers methodically dig for gold in the second round. Some call it luck; I call it craft.

A perfect example is the path to the franchise’s first-ever points in the Super Bowl back in the day. It wasn’t always the big stars making the difference. I remember a player like Dwight White, who got Pittsburgh’s first sack in the final—those were the guys who operated in the shadow of the big names, but when it came down to it, they delivered. I’m seeing that same mindset again today. The key is on defence. People inside the organisation always emphasise that Aaron Smith was one of those who never sought the limelight, but without his work, those championship rings would never have happened.

From Underdog to Hero: The Unwritten Rules

What keeps drawing me back to the Super Bowl is that the greatest stories often aren’t written in the first round. I was chatting with some old colleagues recently about draft philosophy. It’s not about grabbing the loudest guy; it’s about finding the one with the fight in them. If you can find first-round talent in the second round, you’re not just building a team for one year—you’re building it for a decade.

That’s why I’m especially fired up for Super Bowl LX this year. We’re seeing a real shift in the league. The old guard are adapting, new strategies are emerging. But the fundamental truth stays the same: In the Super Bowl, it’s not the team that looks better on paper that wins; it’s the better team. The team that can handle the silence in the locker room. The team willing to put their body on the line for the guy next to them.

• The Halftime Show: Will it match the bar set by Rihanna or Dr. Dre? I’m tipping a genuine surprise—someone no one saw coming in recent years.
• The Defense: No matter how flashy the offense is, when it comes to the crunch, it’s all about the defence. Super Bowl XXXVI proved that, when a kicker ended up being the difference-maker.
• The Steelers Connection: No matter who ends up playing, that Pittsburgh DNA—unselfish football—will be on display in the final. Insiders around the team have confirmed that to me more than once.

I’ve learned that you should never rule anything out when it comes to the Super Bowl. A few years ago, no one would have thought we’d see a 13-second drive. Or that a kicker could change the entire fate of a franchise. Super Bowl LVII was a perfect example of how quickly the tide can turn. A fumble here, a penalty there—and suddenly a completely different team is on top.

Looking back over the last few years, it’s clear to me: The Super Bowl isn’t just a game. It’s a lens through which we see our culture. The way it’s celebrated, the way the Super Bowl Halftime Show sets cultural trends—it’s become so much more than just sport. In the States, the Monday after is an unofficial holiday, and here, I notice the games getting later and the fan base growing.

So in a few weeks, I’ll be back in front of the screen, a cold beer in hand, soaking up the moment. Who’s going to land the game-changing sack? Who’ll make the last-second catch? I don’t know, but I’m certain of this: the story will produce another new hero. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be watching a team live out the same spirit I saw in those great Steelers legends: selfless, tough, and unstoppable.