Tampa Hosted The First Super Bowl Halftime Performance In 1991

Author Geno

January 28th, 2021 3:53 PM

Until the 1990s, half time really wasn’t as big of a deal as it is today. Marching bands were the norm until things changed in 1991 when Tampa hosted Super Bowl 25. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19 that year. Since then, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Prince have all given some pretty iconic performances over the past 30 years. But do you remember who was the first major pop music act to take the field at halftime?

Joey, Jordan, Jon, Danny and Donnie! Yep the New Kids on the Block were the first ever big halftime act at the Super Bowl. The weird twist is that most of America never saw the performance. As huge as the New Kids were back then, the Gulf war was on everyone’s mind and most TV viewers instead saw news updates.

PHOTOS: New Kids through the Years

• New Kids On The Block & Backstreet Boys Press Conference

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  BOSTON - JANUARY 26: Members of the Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block (L-R) Brian Littrell, Jonathan Knight, Howie Dorough, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood leap at the base of the Green Monster after a press conference on January 26, 2011 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Robert E. Klein/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block – Press Conference On New Movie

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  MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 09: Joey Mcintyre, member of the New Kids on the Block music group, looks on during a press conference at the Sofitel Bayernpost hotel on July 9, 2008 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block In Concert – New York, NY

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  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 15: Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Danny Wood and Jonathan Knight of the band New Kids On The Block pose before their performance at Gramercy Theatre on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images)
• New Kids On The Block Sign Their New Single “Summertime” At Macy’s

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  NEW YORK - MAY 16: Singer Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block poses at a signing for their new single "Summertime" at Macy's Herald Square May 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Loud/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block Honored On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

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  HOLLYWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 09: Joey McIntyre, Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood of New Kids On the Block pose with 2,530th star on the Hollywood Walk of fame on October 9, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block Ring The NYSE Closing Bell

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  NEW YORK - MAY 15: New Kids On The Block original band members (L-R) Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood ring the closing bell at the NYSE to kick off their reunion tour and to celebrate the release of their new single "Summertime" May 15, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)
• “American Idol” XIV Grand Finale – Show

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  HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 13: Singer/songwriter Joey McIntyre of NKOTB performs onstage during "American Idol" XIV Grand Finale at Dolby Theatre on May 13, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block In Concert – Nashville, TN

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  NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MAY 09: Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Jonathan Knight of the musical group New Kids On The Block perform at Bridgestone Arena on May 09, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block And Ne-Yo Perform On NBC’s “Today”

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  NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 04: Singer Jonathan Knight of New Kids On The Block performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Center on September 4, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
• 2008 American Music Awards – Portraits

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  Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg Jordan Knight and Jonathan Knight from the group New Kids on the Block pose for a portrait during the 2008 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 23, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

• New Kids On The Block In Concert – Las Vegas, NV

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  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 25: Singer Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block performs during a stop of the Mixtape Tour at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on May 25, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block – Press Conference

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  MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 09: (L-R) Jordan Knight, Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Jon Knight and Joey Mcintyre of New Kids On The Block attend a Press Conference for European reunion tour dates at Hotel Dorint Sofitel on July 9, 2008 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Getty Images)
• New Kids On The Block – Press Conference On New Movie

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  MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 09: Danny Wood, member of the New Kids on the Block music group, looks on during a press conference at the Sofitel Bayernpost hotel on July 9, 2008 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

• New Kids On the Block Perform On NBC’s “Today”

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  NEW YORK - MAY 16: Singer Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids On The Block performs during the NBC 'Today' show concert series at Rockefeller Center May 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

• Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2019

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  NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block perform on stage during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2019 on December 31, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve)
• New Kids On The Block, 98 Degrees, Boyz II Men In Concert

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  LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 06: (L-R) Singers Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, Jonathan Knight and Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block perform at the Mandalay Bay Events Center during The Package Tour on July 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block Visit NBC’s “Today” Show

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  NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Jordan Knight of the New Kids On The Block appears on NBC's "Today" Show at Rockefeller Center on April 4, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

• MTV TRL Presents New Kids On The Block And Hayden Panettiere

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  NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: (U.S. TABS OUT) Singers Jordan Knight, Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Jonathan Knight of New Kids On The Block visits MTV's "TRL" at the MTV studios in Times Square on September 2, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
• New Kids On the Block Perform On NBC’s “Today”

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  NEW YORK - MAY 16: Singer Joey McIntyre of New Kids On The Block performs during the NBC 'Today' show concert series at Rockefeller Center May 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block In Concert – New York, NY

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  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 15: Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Danny Wood and Jonathan Knight of the band New Kids On The Block pose before their performance at Gramercy Theatre on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images)

• The Total Package Tour With New Kids On The Block, Paula Abdul And Boyz II Men In Las Vegas

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  LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 28: (L-R) Singers Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block perform during a stop of The Total Package Tour at T-Mobile Arena on May 28, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
• The Total Package Tour With New Kids On The Block, Paula Abdul And Boyz II Men In Las Vegas

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  LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 28: (L-R) Singers Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block perform during a stop of The Total Package Tour at T-Mobile Arena on May 28, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• 2008 American Music Awards – Red Carpet

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  LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 23: The New Kids On The Block arrive at the 2008 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 23, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AMA)

• New Kids On The Block Perform At Planet Hollywood In Las Vegas

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  LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Singer Jonathan Knight of New Kids on the Block performs during the first show of the group's four-night run at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on July 10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
• New Kids On The Block And Backstreet Boys Perform On NBC’s “Today”

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  NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 03: Singer Jordan Knight of New Kids On The Block performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Center on June 3, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block Visit NBC’s “Today” Show

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  NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Joey McIntyre of the New Kids On The Block appears on NBC's "Today" Show at Rockefeller Center on April 4, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

• New Kids On The Block Visit NBC’s “Today” Show

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  NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Jordan Knight, Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Jonathan Knight of the New Kids On The Block appear on NBC's "Today" Show at Rockefeller Center on April 4, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

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Author Geno

Category:

• Geno

Tags:

1991,Football,New Kids on the BLock,NFL,NKOTB,Super Bowl,Tampa,The 90s