'Huge football fan': Reba McEntire reveals BF Rex Linn convinced her to sing National Anthem at Super Bowl

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The pregame acts for the Super Bowl 2024 will feature a great deal of country music icon Reba McEntire, who will perform the National Anthem at Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.

Moreover, the 'Queen of Country' recently revealed the person who made her agree to accept the Super Bowl invitation was her boyfriend, Rex Linn.

McEntire will be accompanied by actor Daniel Durant of 'CODA,' who will present the national anthem in American Sign Language, the NFL announced on Thursday, January 18.

Pregame acts include 'Circles' singer Post Malone, who will perform 'America the Beautiful,' and 'Rise Up' singer Andra Day, who will perform 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' per ABC7 New York.

Reba McEntire reveals her boyfriend convinced her to accept Super Bowl gig

During her segment on 'CBS Mornings' on Thursday, January 18, McEntire talked about her planned presence at the big game via video chat. She revealed that her boyfriend, Rex Linn, encouraged her to accept the invitation.

The 'Queen of Country' reflected on a conversation she had with her manager, Justin McIntosh, before making her decision.

The country singer was not sure how to respond when McIntosh called to let her know that McEntire would be performing at Super Bowl LVIII.

"I said, ‘Oh my gosh! Well, let me think about that,'" McEntire said. That was when her boyfriend entered the conversation, per Parade.

"Rex Linn, my boyfriend, who is a huge football fan, he said, ‘Yes! She’ll do it!’" McEntire chuckled as he said.

McEntire has performed the National Anthem for almost 50 years. She credits her 1974 National Finals Rodeo performance in Oklahoma, where she was "discovered," as the turning point for her big-league professional success.

Reba McEntire and Rex Linn reconnected in 2020 after initially meeting in 1991

Reba McEntire and her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, had been friends since 1991 but their romance didn't start until 2020. McEntire has been married twice, whereas Linn has never been married.

The country music icon previously wed Charlie Battles from 1976 to 1987 and her manager, Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 until 2015. She dated Anthony "Skeeter" Lasuzzo from 2017 to 2019, as per PEOPLE.

Following her mother's death, McEntire got in touch with Linn again, and the two became closer while under quarantine. McEntire and Linn started dating, and they have been "inseparable" ever since.

During an appearance on 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,' McEntire revealed that she first met Linn while co-producing the Kenny Rogers film 'The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.'

In an October 2020 podcast episode, McEntire went on to disclose that she and Linn were in a romantic relationship. The 'I'm a Survivor' singer called her partner "very interesting, very funny [and] very smart."

On November 11, 2020, the pair walked the red carpet at the awards ceremony. McEntire donned a sparkling gown, while Linn was decked up in a blue tuxedo.

McEntire shared on Instagram that the pair had "too much fun" during their August 2023 vacation in Italy. One of the destinations on McEntire and Linn's holiday agenda was the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa near Naples, per the outlet.

McEntire caused a minor confusion when she wore an incredibly flashy diamond ring on her left hand at a live taping of the latest season of 'The Voice', where she is a coach through the following season. However, she also stated at the time that she wasn't yet engaged, per Taste of Country.