The NFL’s season opener Thursday night in Philadelphia featured another performance of the “black national anthem,” but microphone malfunctions left most of the song inaudible.
Singer Laurin Talese began “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Eagles, but the audio feed failed.
Viewers at home and fans in the stands largely couldn’t hear the performance.
The “Black National Anthem” has no business being sung at NFL, or any other games, but at least the audio was so bad you could barely hear it.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) September 5, 2025
Mixed Crowd Reaction
Crowd microphones picked up boos during the attempt, sparking debate on social media.
Some attendees were upset about the audio problems, while others voiced frustration over the NFL’s continued push of what many see as a political message.
NBC later acknowledged the audio issue. “It sounded awful, but was probably the best they could do given the situation,” one fan wrote online.
Conservative Backlash Online
Yes we know MAGA. You’re tired of DEI in sports and woke this and we have