The Paramount+ Super Bowl ad feels like the payoff to a 30-year joke. Arnold was the source of much disdain from Helga Pataki on “Hey Arnold,” and her infamous nickname for her hidden beloved was “Football head.” We’re honestly just surprised it took this long for someone to realize Arnold should be used as a literal football at some point. 

Even Creed’s appearance isn’t as random as it might seem at first glance. Creed performed at a football halftime show on November 22, 2001, performing various hit songs, including “Higher.” The show has since entered “meme” status, as people will bring it up every so often to either talk about how it was unironically cool or genuinely off-kilter. The most notable detail here is that the band had aerialists flying through the air during “Higher.” In a way, the Paramount+ Super Bowl commercial feels like an homage to that halftime show with Arnold now the one flying through the air while singer Scott Stapp gives it his all. 

Honestly, this ad is jam-packed with jokes and references, with a new one popping up every couple of seconds, from Lt. Dangle sporting a Creed tramp stamp to Patrick Stewart mixing up his sports metaphors. A two-minute commercial might sound like it would be a slog to get through, but this ad doesn’t waste any of its runtime. It’s pure chaos, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.