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Super Bowl players honor Kobe Bryant with touching moment of silence

The Chiefs and 49ers line up on 24-yard-lines to remember those who died last weekend in a helicopter crash.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
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Gael Cooper
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The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs observe a moment of silence to honor former NBA player Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, prior to Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. 

 Rob Carr/Getty Images

He played basketball, not pro football, but former NBA star Kobe Bryant was honored in numerous ways at Sunday's Super Bowl. The day of the big game marked one week since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people died in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. 

Before the game began, players for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs lined up on the 24-yard-lines, referring to Bryant's most well-known jersey number, and marked a moment of silence for Bryant and the others who died. The moment of silence also paid tribute to Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman, who died of cancer on Wednesday at age 58. 

Some players also wore memories of Bryant during pre-game workouts. San Francisco wide receiver Dante Pettis donned purple and gold cleats for the colors of Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers team. The shoes displayed an image of Bryant and the words "Mamba Out." Bryant was known as The Black Mamba, and famously said "Mamba out" in his 2016 farewell speech from the NBA.

Musicians Jennifer Lopez and Shakira led the halftime show. Bryant wasn't directly mentioned, but before the game, Shakira said he would be remembered. And near the end of the performance, a giant cross on the field did light up in what appeared to be Lakers colors -- or at least in gold. See it at 11:52 in the video below.

"Life is so fragile. And that's why we have to live every moment as intensely as we can," Shakira said at a press conference Thursday. "And I think we'll all be remembering Kobe on Sunday. And we'll be celebrating life and celebrating diversity in this country. I'm sure he'll be very proud to see the message that we're going to try to convey on stage."

Originally published Feb. 2, 4:22 p.m. PT. 
Update, 5:42 p.m. PT: Adds that Bryant wasn't mentioned at halftime.