The NFL Players Choir sang twice on Tuesday night's (June 14) episode of 'America's Got Talent.' The NFL Players Choir will continue playing on the national television stage after two versions of Bill Withers' classic "Lean on Me," as it survived with three "yes" votes from judges Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell.

The ensemble has been performing for almost a decade and is made up of current and past football players. The ensemble made its debut during Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix, Arizona in 2008. Choir director Myron Butler told Billboard in 2019 that the sole criteria is to have played in the NFL. For years, the ensemble has played with outstanding musicians like Hezekiah Walker, Erica Campbell, Melvin Crispell III, and Donnie McClurkin at the annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. They will play remotely at Share the Light, an event benefiting the American Cancer Society, in 2020.

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Even though the group is normally substantially larger, only 12 people auditioned for 'AGT.' This includes former Buffalo Bills players Dwayne Wright, Michael Gaines, and Bryan Scott, as well as Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. Tully Banta-Cain, Prince Amukamara, Cameron Lamark Newton, Jamon Brown, Leonard Weaver, and Stephen Pierce are among the other performers on 'AGT.' In the days building up to their audition, the group has been documenting their enthusiasm on Instagram.

The NFL Players Choir, comprised of guys from several pro teams, delivered the evening's closing performance. They told Terry that even after all of their physical training for football, their childhood fantasies of wanting to sing kept them together. Simon was interested in the idea that they used to be rivals but are now working together as a result of Patti LaBelle's request for men to take the mike during a joint football event. Terry yelled "touchdown!" from the side of the stage during their impassioned version of "Lean on Me." Simon requested that they perform the chorus a cappella without the background music to hear their voices on their own, and he recommended that they do it with a fresh standing ovation. Simon remarked on how fast they transitioned to singing a cappella, noting that their enthusiasm and tale are equally stunning. When Simon began to inform them that he wasn't going to give them "three Yesses," it appeared as if the guys anticipated him to hit the Golden Buzzer, but Simon instead gave them "three thousand Yeses."

Even though the choir received more than full ratings from the judges, social media users are split. With some feeling the performance was subpar, they wrote: "MEHHH... certainly not top-ranked as far as choir groups go. 6/10. Sounded too monotonous. Solo singers didn't stand out. Wont make the finals.Says Cam Newton is part of the group but he wasn't there. Chickened out. Next. *welp*"

Frustrated with repetitive choir performances every season, one fan wrote: "Choir act?! Every season. Omg, they’re flat with no range. I just can’t #AGT"

 

Another viewer of the show compared the group to a "lame dad choir," as their tweet read: "I don’t care if they’re football players, this is a “lame dad choir” if I’ve ever heard one. #AGT"

 

While others felt the choir group was actually good, as their tweet read: "The NFL choir on AGT is so good @_IsaiahMcKenzie"

One fan couldn't help but appreciate the diversity each choir performance bring over the years. They tweeted: "I love how choirs have been really diverse over the couple years, we have gotten nurses, children, military and now an NFL players choir."

Some fans were excited to see them advance as they can't wait to see what happens next. They wrote: "That choir was amazing! Can't wait to see what they do Next Round. 3,000 yes vote @AGT"

One fan didn't hesitate to call their accapella performance better than their original, their tweet read: "Loved them even better acapella! Love football and I love this choir"

One particular fan praised Simon for asking the group to perform again, minus the soundtrack. They tweeted: "Simon was right to ask. The Football Choir was better A Capella. #AGT"

America's Got Talent' Season 17 airs Tuesdays, at 8 pm on NBC. Following the show's premiere, you can catch all-new episodes every Tuesday from 8 to 10 pm ET/PT. For viewers who wish to tune in to the show without cable, they can do so using any of the following streaming services: Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu With Live TV, AT&T TV, or YouTube TV.

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