Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is set to perform alongside Soundgarden at the Seattle Seahawks' season opener on 9 September, describing himself as "kind of like Soundgarden's biggest fan" and recalling how he used to bring the band pizza just to hang around their rehearsals. The Seattle native called the halftime appearance "incredibly special" and said the two bands want to play their best because the city is home to them all, teasing "something cool" for fans watching.

Alongside the halftime slot, McCready will sing the national anthem before the Seahawks face the New England Patriots, admitting the responsibility carries pressure despite having performed it many times before. He is also due to appear in a promotional video played during the game for the Washington Innocence Project, an organisation supported by the Seahawks for which his wife, Ashley O'Connor McCready, serves as board president, saying the exposure helps "shed a light" on its work.