This past Thursday, February 9th, Kelly Clarkson made history as the first woman to host the NFL Honors.
The NFL Honors debuted in 2012 and is held the Thursday before Super Bowl Sunday in the city where it’s being held. This year, the show was held in Phoenix, Arizona. Some of the awards presented include MVP, Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year. The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is also announced during this time.
While this ceremony has only been around for a decade, the show has never been hosted by a woman. Clarkson getting the honors to host might be a hot take for some. She doesn’t work within the industry or isn’t sports focused. She also jokingly calls the sport “sportsball” which is an inside joke with her viewers.
Nevertheless, she stole the show with her jaw dropping Dallas Cowboys dress. As a Texas native, she made her love for Americas team very clear. She also gave a shout out to women who are changing the NFL like coaches, executives, and broadcasters. There was also an extra special shout out to “women who has single-handedly made this Super Bowl even possible, Donna Kelce and her ovaries.” Kelce’s sons, Travis and Jason, are the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl.
There was also a surprise duet with Minnesota Viking quarterback, Kirk Cousins to her song “Since You’ve Been Gone.” This shocked us all as we all found out that Cousins is actually not that bad of a singer. This performance was dedicated to the one and only Tom Brady following his retirement from the league February 1st.
The move to have Clarkson host was a smart one. Not only did she bring in viewers who might not have normally watched the awards, she also kept it entertaining and engaging. During any type of award show, it’s hard to keep the attention of the audience, especially at home. But I couldn’t turn away.
Clarkson isn’t shy hosting shows. Her talk-show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, has now been on the air for four seasons. She also has been a coach on the show The Voice. When it comes to live tv, she is a pro.
Becoming the first woman to host this event will open up the floor for more women to host NFL events in the future. As for Clarkson, maybe this will finally get her that Super Bowl halftime performance.
