Who is singing the national anthem for the Texans vs Patriots NFL Divisional playoff game?

The national anthem ahead of the Houston Texans’ NFL Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots will be performed by Fran Rogers, a critically acclaimed local opera singer who is no stranger to major sporting events.

Rogers’ rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” will open the entertainment before the playoff matchup, the first of two Divisional Round games taking place on Sunday.

Who is Fran Rogers?

Rogers hails from Rhode Island but now lives in Franklin, Massachusetts. The tenor is a regular national anthem soloist for several local sports teams, most notably the Patriots, the Boston Celtics in the NBA, and MLB’s Boston Red Sox.

A lifelong Patriots fan, Rogers is known for his “luscious tenor voice” and has built an impressive list of opera credits. Those include portraying Puck in the world premiere of Scott Wheeler’s “Midsummer.”

A familiar voice returns to Foxboro

Ahead of the Texans-Patriots matchup, Rogers told local media outlet WPRI how much it means to perform at Gillette Stadium in such a high-stakes setting.

“The crowds around here are always so incredible and just so fun to sing for. Growing up as part of that fanbase and part of that crowd, being able to do this now is cool.

“It’s hard to describe the feeling of it, but it’s really fun just to be out there with everyone, and that feeling that everybody in that stadium is one for that whole period of the game.”

Can hometown harmony bring Pats playoff luck?

The Patriots will hope selecting one of their own, rather than a big-name recording artist, brings them good fortune as they look to defeat the Texans and reach the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2018, the year they last won the Super Bowl.

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