{"id":7563,"date":"2026-02-01T21:15:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T21:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/?p=7563"},"modified":"2026-02-01T21:15:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T21:15:24","slug":"the-untouchable-goat-as-2026-american-icons-ad-grips-the-nation-fans-declare-the-harrowing-9-11-budweiser-tribute-the-greatest-ever-made-the-ad-that-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/?p=7563","title":{"rendered":"THE UNTOUCHABLE GOAT! As 2026 \u2018American Icons\u2019 Ad Grips The Nation, Fans Declare The \u2018Harrowing\u2019 9\/11 Budweiser Tribute The Greatest Ever Made \u2014 The Ad That Aired ONLY ONCE And Left 300 Million Americans In A \u2018State Of Collective Sobbing\u2019.  It is the debate currently \u2018fracturing\u2019 the internet as Super Bowl LX approaches. While the 2026 Budweiser commercial\u2014the \u2018lavish\u2019 and \u2018patriotic\u2019 &#8220;American Icons&#8221; featuring a bald eagle and a baby Clydesdale\u2014is already being hailed as a \u2018modern classic,\u2019 a \u2018furore\u2019 has erupted among fans who claim the crown already belongs to a \u2018ghost\u2019 from the past.  The 9\/11 Anheuser-Busch tribute, which aired exactly once during Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002, is being rediscovered by a new generation of viewers\u2014and the reaction is nothing short of \u2018harrowing.\u2019&#8230; WATCH BELOW \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tqlKxgWrqS0\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"9\/11 Budweiser Clydesdales Tribute in HD\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\"><b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">ST. LOUIS \/ NEW YORK<\/b>\u00a0\u2014 It is the debate currently \u2018fracturing\u2019 the internet as\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"79\">Super Bowl LX<\/b>\u00a0approaches.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-4\"><\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/9d95fb5b-cf84-4e4c-b710-9add1fd4807c\/budweiswer-ht-jef-260126_1769431956449_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=992\" alt=\"New Budweiser Super Bowl ad\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">While the 2026\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"15\">Budweiser<\/b>\u00a0commercial\u2014the \u2018lavish\u2019 and \u2018patriotic\u2019\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"65\">\u201cAmerican Icons\u201d<\/b>\u00a0featuring a bald eagle and a baby Clydesdale\u2014is already being hailed as a \u2018modern classic,\u2019 a \u2018furore\u2019 has erupted among fans who claim the crown already belongs to a \u2018ghost\u2019 from the past.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-5\"><\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Budweiser | Super Bowl LX Commercial 'American Icons'\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/a_mh-v02-Tw\" width=\"350\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-origwidth=\"350\" data-origheight=\"235\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">The\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"4\">9\/11 Anheuser-Busch tribute<\/b>, which aired exactly\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"53\">once<\/b>\u00a0during\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"65\">Super Bowl XXXVI<\/b>\u00a0on February 3, 2002, is being rediscovered by a new generation of viewers\u2014and the reaction is nothing short of \u2018harrowing.\u2019<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"5\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5,0\">\u201cI thought the \u2018Free Bird\u2019 ad was the peak until I saw the 2002 original,\u201d one distraught fan wrote on\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"103\">X<\/b>\u00a0(formerly\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"115\">Twitter<\/b>). \u201c300 million people didn\u2019t just watch it; they felt it. It\u2019s the only time a beer commercial has felt like a prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5,0\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Budweiser Clydesdales '9\/11 Tribute' Ad: Super Bowl 2011\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LyP0JsyvYnA\" width=\"350\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-origwidth=\"350\" data-origheight=\"235\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"6\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"7\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">A \u2018Silent\u2019 Masterpiece In A Loud World<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whiskeyriff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/budweiserad-770x485.jpg\" alt=\"Watch Budweiser's Powerful 9\/11 Tribute Commercial That Only Aired Once  During Super Bowl XXXVI | Whiskey Riff\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">Unlike the \u2018glamorous\u2019 and high-energy ads of 2026, the 2002 tribute\u2014directed by a young\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"89\">Zack Snyder<\/b>\u2014was stripped of all commercialism. There were no actors, no dialogue, and most importantly, no mention of beer.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">The \u2018chilling\u2019 footage followed the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"36\">Clydesdales<\/b>\u00a0as they travelled from their\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"77\">Missouri<\/b>\u00a0barn, through the snow-dusted countryside, and across the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"144\">Brooklyn Bridge<\/b>. The climax\u2014where the horses drop to their knees to bow toward the decimated\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"237\">Manhattan<\/b>\u00a0skyline\u2014was a moment of \u2018divine\u2019 timing that required unprecedented permission from\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"331\">Mayor Rudy Giuliani<\/b>\u00a0for helicopter airspace.<\/p>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"10\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"11\"><b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">SIDEBAR: THE BATTLE OF THE BUDWEISER GIANTS<\/b><\/h3>\n<table data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>The 9\/11 Tribute (2002)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>American Icons (2026)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Theme<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,1,1,0\">\u2018Respect\u2019 &amp; Mourning<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,1,2,0\">\u2018Legacy\u2019 &amp; 150th Birthday<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Co-Star<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,2,1,0\">The NYC Skyline<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,2,2,0\">A Bald Eagle<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,3,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Music<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,3,1,0\">Sombre Orchestral<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,3,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,3,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">\u2018Free Bird\u2019<\/b>\u00a0(Lynyrd Skynyrd)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,4,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Airing<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,4,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">ONCE<\/b>\u00a0(to avoid profit)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,4,2,0\">National Rotation<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,5,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,5,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Emotional Impact<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,5,1,0\">\u2018Harrowing\u2019 &amp; Silent<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"12,5,2,0\">\u2018Incandescent\u2019 &amp; Patriotic<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"13\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"14\"><b data-path-to-node=\"14\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">\u2018They Refused To Profit From Our Pain\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dailycommercials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Budweiser-Respect-advert.jpg\" alt=\"Budweiser - DAILY COMMERCIALS\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\">What makes the 2002 ad \u2018Top 1\u2019 for many is the \u2018brave\u2019 decision by\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"15\" data-index-in-node=\"67\">Anheuser-Busch<\/b>\u00a0to never air it again. Fearing that repeated viewings would look like they were \u2018capitalising\u2019 on a national tragedy, the company put the footage into a \u2018sacred\u2019 vault, only briefly remastering it for the 10th and 20th anniversaries.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\">\u201cIt was a masterclass in restraint,\u201d says one marketing expert. \u201cIn 2026, we have high-gloss CGI and \u2018Free Bird\u2019 guitar solos, but back then, we just had the sound of horse hooves in the snow. It was a reckoning for the American soul.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17\">As the world prepares for the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"17\" data-index-in-node=\"30\">Seahawks vs. Patriots<\/b>\u00a0showdown next week, the 2026 ad remains a \u2018spectacular\u2019 tribute to the nation\u2019s 250th birthday\u2014but for those who remember the \u2018quiet bow\u2019 of 2002, some things are simply too \u2018holy\u2019 to ever be surpassed.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18\"><b data-path-to-node=\"18\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Which one makes YOU more emotional? The eagle taking flight to \u2018Free Bird\u2019 or the horses bowing in the snow? Let us know in the comments below!<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ST. LOUIS \/ NEW YORK\u00a0\u2014 It is the debate currently \u2018fracturing\u2019 the internet as\u00a0Super Bowl LX\u00a0approaches. While the 2026\u00a0Budweiser\u00a0commercial\u2014the \u2018lavish\u2019 and \u2018patriotic\u2019\u00a0\u201cAmerican Icons\u201d\u00a0featuring a bald eagle and&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7563"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7565,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563\/revisions\/7565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow48.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}