Fact Check: Did Andy Reid refuse to attend 2026 Super Bowl over Charlie Kirk tribute?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Conservative icon Charlie Kirk was shot dead on September 10 while he attended a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Following his untimely demise, many people paid tribute to the slain conservative.
Recently, a rumor circulated online claiming that Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said he would refuse to attend the 2026 Super Bowl over a tribute to Charlie Kirk. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Andy Reid refuses to attend 2026 Super Bowl over Charlie Kirk tribute
In September 2025, an online rumor claimed that Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said he would refuse to attend the 2026 Super Bowl over a tribute to Charlie Kirk.
A Facebook post mentioned, "Super Bowl Chaos: Andy Reid Refuses to Attend Over Politically Charged Tribute — NFL in Uproar. This year’s Super Bowl kickoff was supposed to be routine. Instead, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid ignited one of the most explosive controversies in sports history. When Reid reviewed the NFL’s opening ceremony plan, he saw a tribute not to athletes — but to politicians like Charlie Kirk."
"Reid, famed for his leadership on the field, refused to stand by. 'I will lead my team on the field because they’ve earned it', he said, 'but I will not accept an event that tarnishes true patriotism. Don’t turn the Giants game into a clown show'," the post added.
The post also mentioned, "The announcement sent shockwaves through the league. Other NFL veterans are echoing his concerns, warning that the Super Bowl risks becoming more about political agendas than sport, alienating coaches, players, and fans alike. Social media exploded, with supporters praising Reid for taking a stand and critics questioning the league's priorities."
Similarly, another Facebook post made the same claim as the texts were identical.
Moreover, both the posts included links to advertisement-filled articles about Reid's supposed boycott threat.
Fact Check: False as Andy Reid did not make any such statements
The claims made in the online rumor are false, as there is no credible evidence to prove that Andy Reid refused to attend the upcoming Super Bowl over a tribute to Charlie Kirk.
Searches on search engines, such as Google and DuckDuckGo, showed no credible news reports supporting the claim. If the rumor was true, it would have been widely reported by reputable media outlets.
Moreover, the text in both the Facebook posts and the attached articles did show signs of potential AI generation or assistance, Snopes reported.
The posts and articles had over-the-top language, such as "politically charged tribute," "explosive controversies", and "sent shockwaves through the league", which are often found in AI-generated content.
The article linked in the Facebook post was published on a website with a "USA News" logo, and websites using this same logo have previously published fabricated reports.
Similar rumor about Charlie Kirk tribute circulated recently
This is not the first time a rumor related to Charlie Kirk's tribute has circulated online.
In September, posts claiming that multiple country music stars refused to perform a planned tribute to Kirk at the 2026 Super Bowl gained traction on social media.
A Facebook post from September 26 mentioned, "What was supposed to be a routine halftime show turned into a cultural earthquake. Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, George Strait, Vince Gill, and Reba McEntire didn't just decline to perform — they refused a politically charged tribute to Charlie Kirk, exposing a hidden agenda that stunned the NFL and fans alike."
"Executives were caught off guard. Organizers never anticipated the backlash. Social media exploded as millions asked the same question: Who is pulling the strings behind these demands? Why risk alienating legendary artists to force a political statement on the biggest stage in sports?" the post added.
However, this rumor was also debunked as the rumor was completely false.
