The NFL revealed on Tuesday that this year’s Super Bowl halftime show headliners Maroon 5, will not take be taking part in a press conference to discuss their upcoming performance ahead of the game.
“As it is about the music, the artists will let their show do the talking as they prepare to take the stage this Sunday,” wrote a spokesperson for the NFL on Twitter.
Travis Scott and Outkast‘s Big Boi are set to perform with Maroon 5 at Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3 — where the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Members of Maroon 5, their representatives or the NFL, have not disclosed the band’s reasoning for cancelling the conference.
READ MORE: Maroon 5 set to play Super Bowl halftime show, and football fans aren’t too pleased
The NFL’s statement came with much backlash from outraged Twitter users.
The league has been under fire since last year for disrespecting one of its former players, Colin Kaepernick.
As a response to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback kneeling during the national anthem, the NFL enforced new anthem policies last May for all of its players.
The policy deems that all professional players must now “stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem,” otherwise, they will be fined.
Kaepernick started the silent yet powerful acts of protest as a fight against police brutality and racial inequity back in 2016 before leaving the 49ers and the NFL altogether.
Because of the NFL’s disrespectful actions, an online petition launched late last year. It pulled in more than 85,000 signatures across the globe.
The petition pleaded the Adam Levine-led pop group to reject a spot in the 53rd annual halftime show.
It is being widely speculated that the band cancelled the pre-show press conference to avoid any mention of the sensitive subject matter and controversy.
READ MORE: Super Bowl petition asks Maroon 5, other halftime performers to take a knee
The whole idea of the petition was to boycott the NFL. Founder Vic Oyedeji, demanded that the musicians “take a knee” during their performance. Citing that it’s the only way “they can truly redeem” themselves.
“Show the millions of people watching that you stand in solidarity with Kaepernick and all players who protest police brutality,” Oyedeji wrote.
The Super Bowl will air live on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET. You can find the petition on change.org.
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On Thursday night, Entertainment Tonight will air an interview with Adam Levine. The entertainment show’s host, Kevin Frazier, will be the only person speaking to Levine before the Super Bowl. Tune in at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Global.
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