Super Bowl LVI: The Rock fails to 'cook' crowd, fans say 'it isn't 1999'
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson joined the list of Hollywood A-listers at the Super Bowl LVI game, being held at Los Angeles' SoFi stadium this year. The box office superstar made a surprise appearance on the field and hyped up the crowd with a pregame on-field promo in his signature style. However, fans were not quite happy with his 'performance' as many dubbed it boring. Fans especially felt it was a letdown as The Rock failed to deliver his classic punchline, "Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?"
In the opening teaser, Johnson noted February 13 as an "unprecedented day in sports media history". He added, "Today, we celebrate something that's never happened in 4.5 billion years on planet earth: Super Gold Sunday. The Super Bowl and the Olympic Games. The biggest game of the year and the greatest spectacle in sports. We earned this one!
Enjoy & LFG!!!"
READ MORE
What is the history of Super Bowl? NFL game returns to Los Angeles where it all started 55 years ago
From Eminem to Mary J Blige: Full list of Super Bowl LVI half-time performers
TODAY we celebrate something that hasn’t happened in 4.5 BILLION years on earth
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 13, 2022
SUPER GOLD SUNDAY
1st TIME EVER - SUPER BOWL & OLYMPICS take place on the same day.
THIS IS #SuperGoldSunday.
We earned this one!
Enjoy & LFG!!!#TheRockAtThe50 🏈#FINALLY🎤@NBC@NFL@Olympics pic.twitter.com/yTD14pz7A8
Johnson's on-field appearance prior to the game kicked up a social media storm as millions of fans weighed in their opinion about his intro. "Yawn.... But I was hoping for a "Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?" one Twitter user noted, while another added, "Come on Rock!! You didn’t do what you do! Smell What The Rock Is Cooking….."
"The rock should have hit that “Can you smell what the rock is cooking with the raised eyebrow," a third fan tweeted. However, another retorted, "Right no one cares what the rock is cooking anymore it’s not 1999 and this isn’t the WWE."
Yawn.... But I was hoping for a "Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?"
— 🤘GO HABS GO 🤘 🇨🇦 (@mikeleger62) February 14, 2022
Come on Rock!! You didn’t do what you do! Smell What The Rock Is Cooking…..
— Michael (@MichaelLuvis522) February 14, 2022
The rock should have hit that “Can you smell what the rock is cooking with the raised eyebrow
— just thinking out loud (@darealunk) February 14, 2022
Right no one cares what the rock is cooking anymore it’s not 1999 and this isn’t the WWE https://t.co/QmS74xwttg
— Megan Fox’s Thumb (@mercedzbenz) February 14, 2022
There was also a section of fans who wanted The Rock "off the field" to focus on the game instead. "I would like to see less of the rock," a user tweeted, as another noted, "Things are a little different from the last time The Rock did a football pregame promo in LA." Meanwhile, a few fans also poked fun at Johnson's outfit, as one user tweeted, "The Rock is dressed like a 1983 Cadillac."
"What’s happening here with these pants, The Rock?" another asked.
things are a little different from the last time The Rock did a football pregame promo in LA pic.twitter.com/ZEglQsYH8g
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) February 13, 2022
What’s happening here with these pants, The Rock? https://t.co/xjWrnma4dx
— kate walters (@katewawa) February 14, 2022