Chris Stapleton and 'CODA' Actor Troy Kotsur Perform National Anthem at the 2023 Super Bowl

Chris Stapleton, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Sheryl Lee Ralph all performed at Super Bowl LVII, while Rihanna will handle the Apple Music Halftime Show

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Rachel DeSantis is a staff writer on the music team at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2019, and her work has previously appeared in Entertainment Weekly and the New York Daily News.
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Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City.

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Published on February 12, 2023 06:54PM EST
US singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton performs the US national anthem ahead of Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12, 2023. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Chris Stapleton. Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty

Chris Stapleton helped kick off the 2023 Super Bowl LVII with the help of actor Troy Kotsur.

The "Tennessee Whiskey" singer, 44, sang a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" live from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the Philadelphia Eagles.

"It's one of those calls you think you're not gonna get," Stapleton said at a press conference on Thursday. "And then you get the call and you're like, OK, let's do this."

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Chris Stapleton performing the national anthem ahead of kick-off Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl LVII
Chris Stapleton. Dave Shopland/Shutterstock

Troy Kotsur, the Oscar-winning actor who starred in 2021's feature film CODA, performed American sign language alongside Stapleton.

Kotsur's performance sparked praise online, with Dan Katz of Barstool Sports writing on Twitter, "My guy is LOCKED in. Love this energy. Need this energy."

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Troy Kotsur signs the national anthem before Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Troy Kotsur. Rob Carr/Getty

Stapleton's performance marks the third year in a row that a country singer has sung the national anthem; last year, Mickey Guyton did the honors, and before that, Eric Church joined Jazmine Sullivan for Super Bowl LV. In 2017, Luke Bryan handled the song.

Other performances set for the game include Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds singing "America the Beautiful," and Sheryl Lee Ralph performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

Rihanna, meanwhile, will take the stage for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.

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"She is ready for the Super Bowl," a source recently told PEOPLE of the star's prep work. "She is rehearsing right now. She's very excited, ready, and focused."

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"She can't wait to kill it," the source added.

Stapleton is fresh off a performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, where he joined Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson for the Temptations' "The Way You Do the Things You Do," Robinson's "The Tears of a Clown" and Wonder's "Higher Ground."