Serena Williams shares self-deprecating Taylor Swift thought that entered her mind after Super Bowl halftime show invitation
Serena Williams took the world by storm with her surprise appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show. However, when she first got the invite, even she was shocked, joking that she’d have a better chance of being the quarterback than performing on stage.
Williams was named one of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2025. In her interview with the publication, conducted at 6:20 a.m. due to her packed schedule as a mother of two and entrepreneur, Williams opened up about various aspects of her life.
Among the topics discussed was her controversial Super Bowl cameo. The tennis legend made a brief appearance during the halftime show in February, crip walking as Kendrick Lamar performed his Grammy-winning hit 'Not Like Us.'
Reflecting on the moment, Williams admitted she was taken aback by the invitation, saying she wasn’t exactly "Taylor Swift," and joked she’d have had a better shot at being the game’s quarterback.
"I'm like, ‘Wait, what, you're asking me?’ I'm not Taylor Swift, let's be honest. I would have a better chance to be a quarterback at the Super Bowl than dance."
She faced backlash for reviving a dance move that had previously stirred controversy when she performed it on Wimbledon's grass courts back in 2012. This time, her husband Alexis Ohanian and former coach Rennae Stubbs came to her defense on social media.
She had, however, carefully weighed the decision with her team. The backlash that might follow her appearance on the Super Bowl halftime stage was on her mind, but the chance to celebrate her roots proved too powerful.
"Who would have thought that a tennis player from Compton would be regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time?" she said. "It was just putting an exclamation on it."
Serena Williams reveals how her mom instincts kicked in when Taylor Swift was booed at the Super Bowl
In a surprising incident at the Super Bowl this year, Taylor Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, was booed when she was shown on the big screen. Although the billionaire musician shook it off, Serena Williams came to her defence on social media.
"I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!," Serena Williams wrote on X.
Later, during her recent interview with TIME Magazine, Williams revealed that her mom instincts had kicked in, seeing what was happening to Swift.
"I’m such a mom. I was ready to go in here myself and be like, ‘Taylor, come get this girl’... It’s hard when your team is losing. I totally get it," she added.
Eventually, the Chiefs, who were looking to achieve a historic three-peat, were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles 22-40.