Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes certainly drew praise for the manner in which he performed during the AFC Championship, but he was not the one that stole the show on Sunday afternoon. That honor belonged to retired Navy petty officer Generald Wilson, the man that sang the national anthem prior to kickoff. Fans adored his rendition and could not stop talking about it on social media.
Greatest rendition of The Star Spangled Banner … Bravo!https://t.co/lsUz3hrzy7
— Tim Crise (@TimCrise) January 20, 2020
As many expressed on social media, they were blown away by the singing skills of Wilson, as well as the manner in which he held some of the notes. When he sang “was still there” and held the high note, the fans at Arrowhead Stadium could not stop cheering. They loved this performance and wanted to support Wilson in person and on social media.
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“Mr. Wilson, I do not believe that I have every heard the National Anthem sung better. Very well done sir!” one fan wrote on social media. Others posted the video and wrote about how this was one of the best renditions they had ever witnessed.
“Thank you for your service @generaldwilson and for this amazing rendition of our national anthem. #goosebumps #ProudtobeanAmerican” another user added to the conversation. The overwhelming majority of users on social media believed that Wilson had nailed this performance and couldn’t stop watching the video.
This is not the first time that Wilson has sung for the crowd at a major sports event. He performed “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch at Game 1 of the 2014 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals. He also performed the national anthem prior to the 2016 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game between the Villanova Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Despite this experience, Wilson was still well aware that he needed to follow certain procedures when performing at an event. He posted a video on Instagram Sunday in which he was walking around a catering area at Arrowhead Stadium. He showed off the barbeque, sweet potato fries, roasted potatoes, and salads that were available for him but revealed that he couldn’t eat before performing.
“HERE WE GO NOW!!!!!! IT’S ALMOST TIME FAMILY!!!!” Wilson wrote in the caption. “My Holding Cell before taking the field for the National Anthem! Of Course I Don’t eat BEFORR the performance. HOWEVER, there WILL be a to go plate prepared for ya Boi!”
(Photo Credit: Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
