NFL's Backup Plan If Justin Timberlake Gets Injured Before Super Bowl Halftime Show

The NFL and NBC reportedly taped one of Justin Timberlake's rehearsals in case he is injured [...]

The NFL and NBC reportedly taped one of Justin Timberlake's rehearsals in case he is injured before he takes the stage at Super Bowl LII.

According to TMZ, Timberlake rehearsed his halftime show four times on Thursday. Two of the run-throughs were dress rehearsals and one was taped to air in case anything happens to the "Filthy" singer between now and Sunday night.

TMZ published video from one of the rehearsals, showing fireworks going off while Timberlake performs "Can't Stop the Feeling" from the Trolls soundtrack.

Timberlake's performance will also air on a five-second delay, reports Sporting News. The tape delay has been in place as a response to the last time Timberlake performed at the Super Bowl.

During the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime in 2004, Timberlake exposed part of Janet Jackson's breast. The two singers claimed it was an accident, but MTV was barred from producing another Super Bowl halftime show. CBS was hit with a $500,000 fine from the FCC, although it was later vacated after a court battle that stretched until 2012.

Since then, the NFL has overseen production of halftime shows and the five-second tape delay has become a common practice. The NFL also went through a period of sticking with classic rock acts like Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Prince, The Who and Bruce Springsteen for the halftime shows.

However, in 2011, the NFL returned to modern acts, attracting Beyonce in 2013, Bruno Mars in 2014, Katy Perry in 2015, Coldplay in 2016 and Lady Gaga in 2017.

Last month, Timberlake told Beats 1 he "stumbled" after the "wardrobe malfunction" controversy.

"I had my wires crossed, and it's just something that you have to look back on and go, like, 'OK, well, you know, you can't change what's happened but you can move forward and learn from it,'" Timberlake said.

The singer said he "absolutely" made peace with Jackson, although she will reportedly not be appearing at Super Bowl LII.

"And I don't know that a lot of people know that," Timberlake told Beats 1. "I don't think it's my job to do that because you value the relationships that you do have with people."

Photo credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

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