Jack White and Post Malone will headline the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day halftime shows for the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys, respectively, the league announced Sunday.
White, 50, will headline the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving halftime show this year, marking the first artist booked by Eminem in his new executive producing gig.
The Michigan team announced Sunday that the legendary rock star, 50, will return to his hometown of Detroit and take the stage during their Thanksgiving Day Classic game against the Green Bay Packers. This will be the first time White has performed on Ford Field.
The Lions previously announced that rap icon Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg will serve as executive producers of the halftime show, along with Jesse Collins Entertainment. The team will pick the talent for the annual performance until 2027, according to the NFL.
“We're thrilled to be working with Marshall and Paul, who are two of the most accomplished and respected names in the music industry, not to mention longtime Lions fans,” Detroit Lions President and CEO Rod Wood said at the time. “Their reputation in the business will attract top-tier talent and help us solidify this annual performance as one of the most anticipated cultural moments on the NFL calendar.”
Along with White, gospel singer CeCe Winans will perform the national anthem before the game, which will be nationally televised November 27 on Fox at 1 p.m. ET.
The lineup announcement comes a week after White, a 12-time Grammy Award-winning artist, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of The White Stripes on November 8. He gave an emotional speech during the Los Angeles ceremony, in which he addressed the fact that his former bandmate, Meg White, was not in attendance at the induction.
“I spoke with Meg White the other day, and she said that she’s very sorry she couldn’t make it here tonight, but she wanted me to tell you that she’s very grateful,” he said.
Jack and Meg White met while they were both high school students in Detroit. After they got married, the then-couple formed their iconic band, which rose to fame in the early 2000s. White has lived in Nashville since 2005, but the rocker has not forgotten his Detroit roots. His music label, Third Man Records, has a store right in the middle of the city, and he is known for donating to local causes.
Shortly after the NFL announced White as a performer, pop star Post Malone was announced as the halftime show headliner for the face-off between the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Post Malone, whose real name is Austin Post, has won 11 Billboard Record Awards, and is known for combining country, rap, and pop genres in his music. He holds the records for the most Grammy Awards nominations without a win with 18 nods. This isn’t the artist’s first time on an NFL stage, as he also performed at last year’s Super Bowl.
Similarly to White, Post will represent some hometown spirit for the Cowboys. The singer moved to the Dallas suburbs when he was nine, and his dad worked for the team as a concessions manager.
“I'm from Texas. I grew up a Cowboys fan and have been watching this halftime show for years,” Post Malone said in a statement. “It's a real honor to be part of the Red Kettle Kickoff with The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys and help bring hope to so many people.”
The Cowboys and the Chiefs will play at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving Day.
The NFL also announced Sunday that Lil Jon will perform at the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals matchup. Lil Jon, whose real name is Jonathan Smith, directed Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show last year in Las Vegas, and even joined the performance alongside Ludacris. The rapper, 53, will be NFL’s final performer for this year’s Turkey Day, with the Baltimore game kicking off at 8:20 p.m. ET.
