Prince’s legacy was honored at the Minnesota Vikings’ home opener on Sunday night, as tens of thousands in Prince’s hometown sang one of his most famous songs in unison, with the stadium brightly lit-up in purple. After the second quarter, the Minnesota Orchestra gathered alongside members of the New Power Generation—Prince’s classic backing band—and the gospel group the Steeles to perform “Purple Rain.” By the time the stadium crowd joined in, the tribute roared with emotion.
As the singing commenced, a purple-tinted silhouette of Prince covered the field, making for a fitting tribute to the man behind one of the greatest halftime performances ever—not to mention one of the greatest halftime-show silhouettes. But it was before this halftime show that the first Prince homage emerged: The first touchdown of the game was scored by the rival Green Bay Packers, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers tossing the ball off to wide receiver Jordy Nelson. If you’re at all familiar with Prince’s full name (as many fans were), the significance of this should speak for itself.
To see the performance, watch the video above from the 3:55 mark.
