Move Over Creed, We Might Have Just Witnessed the Greatest NFL Thanksgiving Halftime Show of All Time

While Detroit Lions fans looked forward to a day of family, food, and football, music fans also had something to get excited about: the Lions’ halftime show. With the Lions trailing by just a field goal, newly minted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jack White brought rock-and-roll to Ford Field. After getting the crowd amped up with his first song, the White Stripes frontman welcomed a fellow Detroit native to the stage: Grammy-winning rap legend Eminem.

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Eminem, who is also the show’s executive producer, rapped his 2002 hit “‘Til I Collapse.” Then, White capped it off with the White Stripes’ seminal 2004 hit “Seven Nation Army.” Social media buzz instantly surrounded the performance, even drawing comparisons to another legendary Thanksgiving show.

“That Jack White x Eminem Thanksgiving show might have topped the Creed performance,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter. “Not the entrance, though.”

That Jack White x Eminem Thanksgiving show might have topped the Creed performance. Not the entrance, though. #weusedtobeacountry

— Niall_R (@the_niall_r) November 27, 2025

Remember Creed’s Epic 2001 Thanksgiving Show?

Fresh off the release of their third studio album Weathered, ubiquitous ’90s rock band Creed took the stage at Texas Stadium on Nov. 22, 2001, to headline the halftime show for the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Denver Broncos. With frontman Scott Stapp sporting his own Dallas Cowboys uniform, the two-time Grammy nominees gave us a show that’s still, to this day, somewhat indescribable.

[RELATED: Eminem Joins “Detroit’s Son” Jack White for a Rocking Thanksgiving Lions Halftime Show Performance]

In a Nov. 27 article, Rolling Stone ranked it as the most memorable Thanksgiving halftime show of all time, writing, “It is a legend. None of us will ever forget it… Let us give thanks to Creed for giving us an immortal Thanksgiving miracle that keeps on giving. Top that, Jack White.”

You can refresh your memory below.

@iwishiwastheredude

Creed’s performance of “Higher” during the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving halftime show in 2001 became one of the most unintentionally iconic halftime moments in pop culture history. The band performed suspended from elaborate aerial rigs, surrounded by dancers, angels, and acrobats flying around the stadium — a wildly over-the-top production that went viral years later as the internet rediscovered it. What’s even funnier: Scott Stapp later revealed that the performance was supposed to symbolize spiritual rebirth and gratitude, but because of all the theatrics (like the shirtless guy with silk ribbons), it ended up being remembered more as a surreal, almost cinematic fever dream of early-2000s rock spectacle. It’s now regularly cited as one of the most unforgettable — and most meme-worthy — halftime shows of all time… I wish I was there dude… #creed #2000s #music

♬ original sound – IwishIwastheredude

Eminem Also Produced This Jack White-Led Halftime Show

While seeing Eminem join Jack White onstage delighted many, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. This year marked the beginning of the Detroit Lions’ multi-year partnership with the Grammy winner and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, to executive produce the Thanksgiving halftime show.

For his first go-round, Eminem selected Jack White. The White Stripes vocalist grew up in Detroit and attended Cass Technical High School. Despite his roots, this marked White’s performance debut at Ford Field.

Featured image by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images