Luke Combs joined Peyton and Eli Manning on ESPN’s MNF Manningcast this week, and the singer didn’t flinch when the Mannings asked if he’d like to play the world’s biggest football halftime show some day.

At one point, Eli Manning asked Combs if he’d rather perform at a Super Bowl or watch his beloved Carolina Panthers go to the big game.

“I’d like to perform at the Super Bowl and the Panthers win in the same year,” Combs responded without skipping a beat.

“Why not both, Eli? Why not both?” the singer continued.

Combs — who hails from North Carolina — is a lifelong Panthers fan so devoted that he even collaborated with the team on a line of merch this year.

To be clear, Combs said he’d like to play the Super Bowl someday: His response wasn’t a hint at anything already planned. The 2026 Super Bowl half time performer has already been announced.

Who’s Playing the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Rapper Bad Bunny is scheduled to perform the halftime show for Super Bowl LX, which will take place on Feb. 8, 2026.

Bad Bunny is a massively popular, Grammy-winning artist, and many expressed enthusiasm when he was announced as the next Super Bowl performer.

But the NFL’s decision also yielded some pushback from more conservative viewers, many of whom cited complaints that Bunny typically performs in Spanish and has vocally criticized the Trump presidential administration.

Read More: Petition for George Strait to Replace Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl Gains Traction

In October, a Change.org petition launched to replace Bad Bunny with George Strait, claiming that Strait is a better choice because he “embodies the heart and soul of American music.”

“The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honor American culture and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt,” the petition reads.

As of this week, it has netted 113,012 signatures. But there’s no indication that Strait himself wishes to take Bad Bunny’s spot, or that the chances of this petition coming to fruition are anything more than slim.

Has a Country Singer Ever Played the Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Yes, but country-themed performances have been few and far between.

Several different country artists have performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl or taken part in other performances.

However, the last time a country singer performed during halftime was during Super Bowl XXXVII’s halftime show in 2003, when Shania Twain performed “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “Up!” during a set that also featured No Doubt and Sting.

Did Luke Combs Play Football?

Yes, but in his own words, he wasn’t very good at it.

Combs cracked jokes about his time as a high school football player during his time on the Manningcast, saying the best thing he ever did for his team was stay on the bench.

Read More: Country Stars Who Played Football

“What was something good about my game? Probably that I didn’t play very much,” the singer admitted.

But he did allow that his comedic presence was good for team morale. “I was a glue guy, more of a locker room guy,” Combs said, adding that his team nickname was “Jokes.”