The Super Bowl had no shortage of cultural star power

The bad news? Football season is officially over with the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling 25-22 overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the Patrick Mahomes Invitational, aka Super Bowl LVIII. The good news? You’re already a day closer to its return.

Football was far from the only conversation being had last night, though. With that in mind, we wanted to run through a list of happenings on one of American pop culture’s biggest nights. Unfortunately, this doesn’t include Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan’s alleged breakup. Nor does it look at Odell Beckham Jr.‘s career after football as a socialite as he and Kim Kardashian were spotted together in Las Vegas. That said, any list featuring Ice Spice, SpongeBob SquarePants and Usher canoodling with another man’s wife on stage is well worth the price of admission.

Without further ado…

#7 Taylor Swift and Ice Spice

To no one’s surprise, there were a ton of celebrities in attendance at this year’s game. The most interesting duo — in other words, the one that was shown more than anyone else for obvious reasons — was Taylor Swift and Ice Spice. It’s impossible to overlook how the two initially connected thanks to Swift’s ex-boyfriend Matty Healy’s racist and anti-semitic statements in 2023. Many accused Swift of using Spice to deflect criticism, but the two still hang out.

Nevertheless, Swift arguably became the biggest storyline in the NFL this year thanks to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. So, seeing her on TV for what felt like every three or four plays was expected.

But if I can be quite honest with you, here’s why this even made the list in the first place. This tweet likening Swift and Ice Spice’s friendship to being like someone “from the hood… but you get a scholarship to a PWI.” I laughed at that way more than I care to admit.

On a night flooded with social media activity, put this near the top of its best moments.

#6 Carl Weathers’ posthumous commercial

It’s the Super Bowl, and the commercials are one of the major conversations every year. We can debate which was best, but the one that moved me the most was FanDuel’s spot featuring Rob Gronkowski’s “Kick of Destiny.” Hands down, the best (and most emotional) aspect was an appearance by the late Carl Weathers. The former NFL player-turned-legendary actor passed away earlier this month, and a wave of condolences and remembrances have poured in since.

Weathers was a man who was appreciated and deeply respected for his talents and roles that defined generations of fans. That sort of emotion came through on and off the screen.

#5 The Spongebob broadcast

That whole Nickelodeon and NFL partnership may seem like a gimmick, but I’m here to tell you it’s gold. I became a fan of the broadcasts after having a child over a year ago. Of course, I’d prefer to watch the original game, but viewing the Nickelodeon version is a way to entertain my son and watch football simultaneously. It’s a win-win in my book. Seeing as how kid number two is on the way this summer for my wife and me, I hope the partnership continues.

Also, if you haven’t heard Spongebob and Patrick’s call of the game-winning play, please treat yourself.

#4 Alicia Keys, Usher and the endless “work husband” memes

We’ll get to Usher’s halftime show in just a second, but let’s first acknowledge its most talked-about moment. Usher’s been known to cozy up to many women during his Las Vegas residency. For a man who once warned, “Don’t leave ya girl ‘round me, true playa for real,” he gets enjoyment from living his lyrics — or at least making people believe he does. Because of this, Usher has been known to start some problems for his fans at home. So last night, when Usher got up close and personal with Alicia Keys during the performance of their 2004 hit “My Boo,” the internet grabbed their inch and took it 100 miles. Basically, people were picking up what the performance was putting down — if the aim was to get people talking, then Usher and Keys accomplished the mission. 

To his credit, Keys’ husband, Swizz Beatz, didn’t seem to mind too much, taking to Instagram to praise his wife and Usher (and his wife’s dress) on the show.

#3 Usher’s halftime show was one for the ages

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but Usher bodied his halftime performance, just like I said he would. Where his display ultimately ranks all time is purely subjective, but he should have no doubts about being mentioned amongst the best. He had folks of all ages across the country turning up. On one of the world’s biggest stages, Usher proved why his triple threat of singing (with no background tracks!), dancing, and a catalog that might as well have been created in a lab for this exact moment.

Usher also had no problem sharing the stage, bringing the aforementioned Keys, H.E.R., Ludacris, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and Jackson State University’s marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South. It was a phenomenal self-tribute to a career with very few peers.

In fact, Usher would’ve been one slot higher had it not been for one of those contemporaries…

#2 Beyoncé’s doing that album thing again

Beyoncé and Usher have been close for years, so there’s no reason to believe that he wasn’t aware Blue, Sir and Rumi’s mom would break the internet during his big night. Journalists like Taylor Crumpton have said since the 2022 release of Renaissance that Act II would tackle country music. During last night’s game, Beyoncé confirmed it — and dropped two singles, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Much like Renaissance and house music, this project aims to do the same with another genre’s deeply rich and complex relationship with Black folks.

The album drops on March 29, less than a month before Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. So be prepared for the annual tradition of those Album of the Year conversations during next year’s Grammys.

#1 Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs live here now

With their third Super Bowl victory in five years, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs officially cemented their names in sports’ rarest class — dynasty. Fueled by the Chiefs’ best defense of the Mahomes era, the quarterback led a second-half comeback culminating in a game-winning touchdown in overtime.

In a stadium full of star power, Kansas City made history in real-time and was the biggest story of the night. The Chiefs are an all-time great football team with a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback, and there’s a good chance they aren’t done yet. Their focus now shifts to even more hallowed ground with a potential three-peat next season.

Mahomes is already in the conversation for the greatest QB ever and is already being called the Michael Jordan of his sport. If he’s not better than Tom Brady, he’s the closest one. And that gap continues to get smaller and smaller with each accomplishment.