All eyes before the much-anticipated Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs Thursday showdown will be on the Arrowhead Stadium hallways, just to see if Grammy-winning singer and newfound Chiefs superfan Taylor Swift will be taking in her first 2024 NFL game.
But while fans will aim to spot the beau of All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce walking in, sets of eyes will also be zeroing onto the field to see who gets the honor of singing the first national anthem of the new league year.
It’s time to reveal who’ll belt out every line of the “Star-Spangled Banner” as the season soon gets underway.
READ THIS | Ravens at Chiefs: Everything You Need to Know
Watch the National Anthem at the Chiefs Game
Ahead of the NFL season kickoff, Coco Jones wowed with her rendition of the National Anthem.
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National Anthem Singer for Ravens-Chiefs Revealed
Swift won’t be the one dusting off her guitar and singing the anthem, but a 2024 Grammy winner will have the honor.
Coco Jones has been revealed as the Ravens-Chiefs National Anthem singer before the opening kickoff.
The R&B songstress is known for winning Best R&B Performance for her hit track “ICU” during the last Grammy award ceremony. She was also nominated for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, and Best Traditional R&B Performance.
She’s also renowned for her hit singles “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” and “Just My Luck,” which both earned lots of airtime on hip-hop radio stations.
The opening NFL game won’t be Jones’ first time singing the anthem in ’24. Wrestling fans likely remember her vocal cords as she performed the national anthem before World Wrestling Entertainment’s Wrestlemania XL in Philadelphia on April 6.
Does Jones Have NFL Ties? Details on Personal Life
While Thursday’s Star-Spangled Banner performance will be her first time singing the tunes before a live NFL game as a famed R&B singer, Jones is no stranger to the league.
Her father is Mike Jones, who played defensive end from 1991-99. Jones was also a part of the Tennessee Titans’ 1999 team that snatched the AFC title before falling to the St. Louis Rams. Jones additionally had stops with the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, and Rams.
Following the time Jones’ father played, the singer got an early chance to sing the “Star-Spangled Banner” before her fame took off. Clad in a Rams jersey, a young Jones sang the song while the team was in St. Louis.
just a little girl with big dreams 🤍 pic.twitter.com/loIycDUOKj
— Coco Jones (@TheRealCocoJ) March 6, 2023
But Jones’ father is not the only one who tasted the NFL. The R&B singer has a brother, Mike Jones Jr., who also made it to the league. Jones Jr. was last seen with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. He’s since become a free agent hoping to sign elsewhere for teams needing a linebacker.
What Else is Jones Known for?
Outside of her singing credits, Jones has established herself as a rising actress.
The 26-year-old is best known for playing Hillary Banks on NBC Peacock’s “Bel-Air,” a remake of the famed 1990s comedy sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that starred Will Smith.
Before playing Banks on the drama series, Jones got her official acting start as a Disney kid.
Her other credits include the 2012 film “Let it Shine” that became a Disney Channel original musical. She also starred on the network’s sitcom “Good Luck Charlie” that aired from 2012 to 2013.
Musically, Jones is signed to Def Jam Records and has sung since 2006.