A mariachi band took center stage at Soldier Field on Monday night, performing the national anthem before the Chicago Bears hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. The group, Mariachi Herencia de México, delivered a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner that was part of the NFL’s Latino Heritage Month initiative, Por La Cultura, which runs from September 15 to October 15.
According to Breitbart, the performance was overwhelmingly well received both by the crowd in Chicago and by most people online. Video of the anthem circulated widely on social media, where the reaction was largely positive.
Reaction and Commentary
While the performance itself drew praise, much of the online discussion centered not on the music but on how critics might respond. Several commenters anticipated a backlash, with one writing, “I hope this pissed the racists off.” Another said, “This sounds awesome, but you know some bots are still gonna complain.” A third commenter called it “one of the best regular season anthems ever” and added that it came with the “added benefit of maga moron heads exploding.” Yet another observed, “I’m sure the cult has had a massive racist meltdown about this and will continue.”
Despite those expectations, Breitbart reported that critical comments were “certainly in the minority” when reviewing comment threads on most social media posts about the performance.
An International Flavor
The anthem performance is the latest example of the NFL leaning into international and multicultural programming. The league has staged regular-season games in foreign countries in recent years and has increasingly incorporated diverse musical acts into its pregame ceremonies. The Latino Heritage Month celebration, branded Por La Cultura, is a league-wide effort that spans the first month of the regular season.
The mariachi rendition joins a growing list of nontraditional national anthem performances at NFL games, which have ranged from gospel choirs to orchestral arrangements to pop artists. Such performances occasionally become flashpoints in broader cultural debates, particularly when they diverge from the traditional military band or solo vocalist format.
For Monday night’s game, the performance appeared to accomplish what the league intended: a festive kickoff to a monthlong celebration of Latino culture, wrapped around one of the NFL’s marquee broadcast windows. The Bears and Eagles were set to kick off shortly after the anthem concluded.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2026/09/28/watch-mariachi-band-performs-national-anthem-before-monday-night-football-as-part-of-latino-heritage-month/