The NFL regrets picking Kendrick Lamar over Lil Wayne for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans, after Kendrick Lamar backlash; a league employee has reportedly admitted.

Kendrick’s performance at Caesars Superdome sparked controversy last weekend, with some fans branding it ‘the worst Super Bowl halftime show ever’ during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs

To add to the controversy, the ‘Not Like Us’ rapper was chosen for the gig ahead of New Orleans native Lil Wayne, who reportedly received a letter of apology from the NFL when the choice was announced last year.

Sports commentator Skip Bayless said the league ‘immediately’ got in touch with Lil Wayne to apologize over the snub, while revealing that his good friend was devastated to have been overlooked in his home city.

Bayless said on his YouTube show: ‘The NFL immediately sent Wayne a letter of apology. From nobody in particular, just from the league on NFL letterhead.

‘A letter that thanked him for his years of supporting the league, not just the Packers, his favorite team, but supporting and promoting the NFL, in general, which he has.

A mistake was made and we regret the choice that was made,’ an NFL employee is quoted as saying.

‘Lil Wayne should have been the first option, as he is from New Orleans and we know that there was a clear motivation for him and his side to do a unique show in his town.’

NFL chiefs are now keen for future halftime choices to have a closer connection to either the place, city or state where the Super Bowl is held.

Lil Wayne, who was born and raised in New Orleans, was said to have taken the snub badly after not being picked for the show in his beloved city.

‘Lil Wayne was the obvious choice, and the choice made wasn’t the best one at all,’ the insider added.

Another NFL employee was quoted as saying that the decision to have Kendrick perform at halftime was the ‘wrong one’ while vowing to not make the same mistake again going forward.

Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Bayless revealed that Lil Wayne was struggling to deal with being snubbed for the halftime show after the NFL chose Kendrick to headline in the Big Easy.