SNEAK PEEK: Chris Stapleton Reflects On Viral National Anthem Performance In New Super Bowl Ad
on Feb 03, 2026
Chris Stapleton is set to make his Super Bowl ad debut for this year’s Big Game.
Three years after Chris Stapleton delivered one of the best national anthem performances in Super Bowl history, the country star is returning to the Big Game.
The “Starting Over” singer appears in a new ad for Traveller Whiskey, an elite whiskey blend he created alongside Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley. The 30-second ad is scheduled to air just before kickoff on NBC.
“There is a time. Time spent doing the work that nobody sees. Playing the long game. Because perfect moments don’t happen. They are made. Traveller Whiskey. Made for the moment,” Chris is heard saying as a soulful electric guitar rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is heard in the background.
Titled “Made For The Moment,” the commercial shows Stapleton preparing for his national anthem performance and workers behind the scenes on Traveller Whiskey at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The spot ends with an announcer introducing Stapleton as he walks through the tunnel to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl.
See the Traveller Whiskey Super Bowl ad in the video below.
Revisiting Chris Stapleton’s Super Bowl National Anthem Performance
In 2023, Chris Stapleton had the honor of opening up Super Bowl LVII by singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The performance would go on to be considered one of the best renditions of the song ever performed.
As Stapleton stood mid-field with his guitar, cameras panned the sidelines and caught players and coaches from both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs weeping as he sang.
The moment that gained the most attention was when cameras settled on the Eagles’ head coach, Nick Sirianni, who made no effort to hide the tears running down his face.
Relive Chris Stapleton’s tear-jerking rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the video below.
About Traveller Whiskey
Traveller Whiskey is a 90-proof blend that was created by Chris Stapleton in partnership with Harlen Wheatley. The pair spent hours developing the perfect blend, sampling more than 50 before putting the finishing touches on Traveller.
“Traveller Whiskey is characterized by notes of oak, sweet maple, tart currant, and leather. Complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit, and buttery shortbread are rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak,” the website reads. “The flavor profile also showcases a touch of sweetness, followed by spice, toasted nut, and oak flavors, closing with a robust finish.”
Stapleton is a long-time fan of Buffalo Trace, a Kentucky-based distillery located near where the Grammy Award-winner was born and raised.
The brand’s 2026 Super Bowl ad is proof of the success and popularity of Traveller Whiskey, and is the latest in a series of major media investments for the company.
In 2025, Traveller became the first Official Whiskey of Major League Baseball. The brand also partnered with NASCAR for the first time by sponsoring JR Motorsports’ Traveller Whiskey No. 40 Chevrolet.
The new commercial is also dropping at an exciting moment for Traveller Whiskey, according to a spokesperson for the brand. Their first line extension, Traveller Full Proof, is scheduled to be released later this month.
