Super Bowl LI: Lady Gaga puts on pregame show, too

HOUSTON — Lady Gaga couldn’t wait until halftime.

The star of the halftime show made an appearance on the field before the game as well, parading around the NRG Stadium turf in a black dress with a flowing train, throwing a few passes, and even lying down on the NFL shield painted at midfield for a photo op.

It’s unusual for the halftime performer to be so visible before the performance, but Gaga is certainly unusual in her own way.

At one point late in her pregame promenade the players started to come onto the field for their warmups. Gaga simply walked among them as if they were strangers on the street. Or, more likely, as if they were the opening act for her headlining event.

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.