Andy Reid threatened to bench Chiefs players if they watched Rihanna

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid runs a tight ship in Kansas City, and that includes making sure his players stay focused throughout entire NFL games.

Last Sunday, more people turned on the television to watch Rihanna than to watch the actual Super Bowl game, a testament to the star power and celebrity status that Rihanna embodies. Almost everyone saw how dazzling she looked up in the air on a suspended platform — everyone but the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid apparently threatened his players that he would bench them if they left the locker room to watch Rihanna.

At the end of the first half, the Chiefs were down 24-14 to the Philadelphia Eagles and going through a rather troubling offensive slump. Kansas City’s last three drives ended in a missed field goal and two punts; the only reason they weren’t down more points was because of Nick Bolton’s fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes recently made a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel and relayed what Reid told the Chiefs at halftime:

“If you go out to watch the performance, just keep walking because you’re not playing the rest of the game.”

Andy Reid discouraged Chiefs players from watching Rihanna perform at Super Bowl

With the Chiefs facing a looming double-digit deficit at halftime, it makes sense as to why Reid wanted his players to focus on the game.

In last year’s Super Bowl, Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson went viral when he stayed on the field to watch the star-studded performance featuring Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and others. The Bengals’ coaching staff wasn’t too pleased about McPherson’s antics afterward.

In 2022, Rihanna returned to the stage for her first public performance in over five years, but it didn’t matter that she put together a setlist crammed with chart-topping hits and throwback bangers or that she choreographed a glitzy spectacle complete with a make-up promotion and a surprise announcement.

Andy Reid wanted his players concentrated on one thing and one thing only: winning the Super Bowl. No diamonds for the Chiefs that night — just a sterling silver Lombardy Trophy.