Further solidifying his status as a household name in country music, Zach Top recently performed the national anthem at the NFC Championship game, broadcast live on FOX Sports.
As the penultimate matchup of the season, tonight’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams will determine who advances to face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on February 8. As if the rampant anticipation wasn’t high enough for football fans, Top delivered a stellar rendition of the anthem that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Despite being a chilly (and of course windy) 40-degree afternoon in Seattle, the Washington native absolutely killed it with his rendition while proudly sporting his green Seahawks windbreaker. Safe to say, Top’s mic was ON, and the hometown crowd at Lumen Field reciprocated the well-deserved energy. Cheers erupted throughout the stadium as he confidently hit the notoriously difficult high note during “and the rockets’ red glare.” One especially enthusiastic fan even shouted “f the Rams” just before “Twilight’s last gleaming,” which appeared to earn a quick smirk from Top.
Few moments feel more patriotic than watching a 300-foot flag ripple while fighter jets twirl overhead and Top’s powerful voice carries one of America’s most iconic songs. This performance also marked Top’s second national anthem appearance, following his October 2024 performance at the Bengals vs. Eagles game.
It’s no surprise fans are raving about the “Bad Luck” singer’s rendition. Top now joins a growing list of country artists who have gone viral for their NFL anthem performances in recent years, including Chris Stapleton, Reba McEntire, and Eric Church. One comment under Country Chord’s post from user @steven.lutes4 summed it up perfectly: “At this point every national anthem performance should be done by a country singer.” Given the track record, it’s hard to argue otherwise, especially with so many artists unafraid to sing proudly about America.
The 2025 ACM New Male Artist of the Year proved to be the perfect way to kick off this highly anticipated game as the league ramps up to the Super Bowl. No matter the outcome, this year’s big game will be notable as the Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance in the post–Tom Brady era. While the Rams are more recently removed from Super Bowl action, it’s been a decade since the Seahawks last appeared, facing New England in 2015. Hopefully, the NFL takes note and keeps leaning into country music for big moments like this.