Nick Sirianni got emotional during Chris Stapleton's stirring rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl 57. The Eagles coach had tears streaming down his face before the big game in a viral moment that moved many of those watching the 2023 Super Bowl.
Stapleton's performance — which has drawn rave reviews — will forever be intertwined with Sirianni's expression as a result.
However, Stapleton may never actually see the clip himself. Why? As the 44-year-old country singer explained to Entertainment Tonight, it's hard for him to view his own performances.
"I don’t know if I can watch it, man," Stapleton said. "I try not to watch myself back too much."
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Stapleton's quirk is common among performers, who tend to nitpick their own shows. This is especially true on a stage as big as that of the Super Bowl. As such, it's easy to understand why Stapleton won't necessarily see the clip in context.
Even still, though, he could probably find a brief video of the moment itself and just check it out with the sound off. That wouldn't likely ruin his perception of his national anthem performance, which he thought went well.
"Man, it felt great. It really did," Stapleton told Entertainment Tonight. "The energy was good and the crowd was hyped up for the game, so that kind of gets you ready to go."
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So, that's Stapleton's side of the story. But what about Sirianni's? He explained that he was crying because he was overcome with emotion after achieving his dream of reaching a Super Bowl.
“I've dreamed about this since I've been 2 years old," he said. "It's just emotional because there's a lot of work, not just by myself, but a lot of people. Starting with my wife and my kids, my brothers, my dad and just so many people. ... It's just emotional in that moment knowing where we were."
Certainly, that's fair. And while the game didn't play out as Sirianni had hoped — the Chiefs earned a last-minute, 38-35 victory — he was part of an experience that he will never forget.
