Beyoncé NFL halftime show: All the Easter eggs embedded in show-stopping Christmas Day performance

Pop star was joined by her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, Post Malone and Shaboozey for performances of tracks off her latest ‘Cowboy Carter’ album

Beyoncé arguably delivered one of the greatest halftime shows in NFL history this week — and it wasn’t even the Super Bowl.

The 43-year-old pop star took the field midway through the Christmas game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans to perform first-time live renditions of several hit tracks off her latest Grammy-nominated album, Cowboy Carter.

As to be expected, there appeared to be several Easter eggs and hidden messages embedded not only within her show-stopping performance but also within pre- and post-show promotional content.

Sharing the stage

While Queen Bey was famously joined by her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, Post Malone and Shaboozey during the performance, there were several lesser-known (but still notable) figures who took the stage beside her, too.

In her pre-recorded intro, she sang her version of “Blackbird” by The Beatles, alongside fellow Black country stars Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, and Tiera Kennedy, who also feature on the track.

At various moments throughout the show, Beyoncé also showcased several groundbreaking country icons, including Mexican Cowgirl Melanie Rivera, pioneering bull-rider Myrtis Dightman Jr. (known as the “Jackie Robinson of Rodeo”), Miss Rodeo Texas Princess 2004 and Miss Rodeo Texas 2015 Nikki Woodward and the first Black Rodeo Queen in Arkansas Ja’Dayia Kursh.

Beyoncé shined during her NFL Christmas Gameday halftime show (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, a caravan carrying Houston Texans owner Cal McNair and his wife, Hannah, rode onto the field as Beyoncé sang her cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”

The Texans’ cheerleaders fittingly made up part of her backup dancing ensemble, in addition to nearly 200 members of Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul Marching Band.

16 Cadillacs for ‘16 Carriages’

During her pre-recorded intro of “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé could be seen passing by exactly 16 Cadillacs as she rode through the stadium’s tunnels on a white horse.

Denim covered truck

Post Malone joined Beyoncé to sing a rendition of their song ‘Levii’s Jeans' (Getty Images)

When it came time for Post Malone’s guest appearance for their song “Levii’s Jeans,” the two duetted while leaning against a pickup truck appropriately covered in denim.

Celebrating Black cowboys

Cowboy Carter was a triumph for Black and brown representation in the world of country. Beyoncé especially made that clear when she appeared to reference a moment from the archives.

At one point in the show, the cameras panned to a group of backup dancers standing atop white horses. What may have seemed like a simple moment by her backup dancers, in fact, looked to be a recreation of an old image of a group of Black cowboys standing on the backs of their horses.

Lyric change

As Beyoncé wrapped up the epic holiday event with the album’s top track “Texas Hold ‘Em,” she subtly changed the lyrics from “spin me in the middle boy” to “spin me in the middle Blue” an ode, of course, to her daughter Blue, who she skipped in a circle with.

Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy performing during the halftime show for the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium (Getty Images)

And, although the cameras really only honed in on Blue during the final number, she could be seen dancing behind her mother in the earlier rendition of “Ya Ya.”

New project teaser

Following her performance, the superstar shared a video of her sitting atop a white horse waving an American flag. “Look at that horse,” she captioned the X/Twitter post. The clip concluded with the date January 14, 2025.

Entertainment company Live Nation also retweeted the post, leading some to speculate a forthcoming Cowboy Carter tour. However, whatever the date may be, it’s safe to say fans should mark their calendars because something exciting is on its way.

Potential glimpse at final act of Beyoncé’s three-act project

When Beyoncé released her 2022 smash hit dance-pop album Renaissance, she revealed that it was just the first of a three-act project. Her latest Cowboy Carter record stood as the second part.

One eagle-eyed Beyoncé fan noticed that in one of her promotional clips for the Christmas Day halftime special, Beyoncé could be seen seated in a chair playing the banjo, wearing a sparkly silver top, black shades and a large black-brimmed hat.

The TikToker noted that both the banjo and the silver top alluded to her Cowboy Carter and Renaissance albums, respectively, going on to predict that the black sunglasses and hat were the potential theme for her third and final act.

He also noticed the similarities between the staging of Rihanna’s 2023 Super Bowl halftime performance to Beyoncé’s Christmas Day show, leading him to suggest a potential Rihanna collaboration on the upcoming album, although that is simply rumor.