6 Most Contentious Super Bowl Moments Including Janet Jackson’s Wardrobe Malfunction

Seven Controversial Super Bowl Moments Over the Years

Super Bowls have barely been bereft of controversial events. Apart from the grand opening ceremony and live performances by well-known personalities from across the globe, a string of controversies and viral moments refuse to die down to date. From the disappearance of Barret Robbins right before the Super Bowl XXXVII, to the moment when Janet Jackson faced an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction during her performance, here are the seven most controversial Super Bowl moments per OK Magazine. 

1. The Mysterious Disappearance of Barret Robbins Before Super Bowl XXXVII

Concerns arose when football star Barret Robbins failed to attend morning breakfast and practice the day before Super Bowl XXXVII. Former Raiders player Calvin Branch located Robbins and escorted him back to the La Jolla Hyatt hotel. After returning from an event, Robbins had a strong conviction that his team had won the Super Bowl. However, on the day of the game, he was admitted to the hospital and missed watching it. After this event, Robbins chose to check into the Betty Ford Center. Later, during his stay he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 

2. The Confusing Collab by Black Eyed Peas

The members of the Black Eyed Peas were embroiled in an unexpected collaboration during their performance of I've Had the Time of My Life. Usher made a surprise appearance on stage, followed by Slash's rendition of Sweet Child o' Mine alongside Fergie. Rolling Stone hilariously went on to compare its performance to "seeing a unicorn cough up blood," as the performance was no less than a concoction of contrasting musical elements. However, the fans loved watching their favorite stars perform on stage.

3. The Arrest of Eugene Robinson

In the lead-up to Super Bowl XXXIII, Eugene Robinson, a player for the Atlanta Falcons, garnered attention and dominated headlines due to his arrest for soliciting prostitution. According to reports, the individual he tried to contact was an undercover police officer. "I cried all night. Dude, I cried all night. I've shared my story with different church groups. It was painful. I cried the entire night. How did I get way over here when I was way over here?" He added, "It's easy to lose your way when you are selfish and thinking about yourself, and that's the only thing you are thinking about. And that's what I did. To hear the word solicitation is still painful for me. I've got to call it what it is. I don't try to sugarcoat it."

4. When Janet Jackson Suffered a Wardrobe Malfunction 

During the Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show on February 1, 2004, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson took the stage together, but the performance took an unexpected turn. The incident, commonly referred to as "N-------gate," stemmed from a planned costume stunt orchestrated by Jackson and her stylist, as explained by former SVP for MTV, Salli Frattini. While performing, Timberlake tore off a portion of Jackson's clothing, inadvertently exposing the right part of her chest. Jackson had a sun-shaped cover in place to prevent further exposure. "I think the outrage toward Justin, at this point, not only is it unfair, but I actually believe that it continues to revictimize Janet. I think it really does this other piece that really bothers me the most, where it strips two adults from autonomy over a mistake," culture critic Gerrick Kennedy told CNN. 

5. When Justin Timberlake Brought Prince on Stage

Justin Timberlake faced backlash once more during the 2018 halftime show when he attempted to incorporate a duet with a hologram of Prince for his performance of I Would Die 4 U. However, the show's executive producer at the time, Ricky Kirshner, clarified that featuring a hologram was never a feasible option for the event. "There was never a hologram. It was never in the plan — holograms take months to create. It was always a projection," a source close to Timberlake shared. "We are a 360-degree stadium environment with people at every corner. Every year a hologram company comes to us, but we never even seriously consider it because we don't believe technologically it could work. It never even came up with Justin," Kirshner added. 

6. When M.I.A. Made a Controversial Gesture

Following Madonna's halftime show, controversy erupted when British singer M.I.A. made a gesture with her middle finger, drawing immediate comparisons to Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction in 2004. This led to a statement issued by the NFL saying, "The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans." Meanwhile, a spokesperson from NBC explained that their monitoring system attempted to blur the gesture, but it was slightly delayed, occurring "by a fraction of a second."

7. When the NFL Hired an Elvis Presley Impersonator

During the 1989 Super Bowl Halftime Show, the NFL enlisted an Elvis Presley impersonator to incorporate a magic trick into his performance. But instead of gaining fan-favored lauds, the act ended up with bizarre bewilderment amongst the viewers who could not decrypt the reasons behind hiring an impersonator. The act failed terribly as the audience barely took the hint and carried on without noticing the "fun element" of the night. For sure, Presley's presence on stage was unmatched and the impersonator could only present a nostalgic reference to his iconic performances.