LOS ANGELES — “Dancing with the Stars” said goodbye to late-night personality Guillermo Rodriguez on Tuesday night during the competition’s first-ever Super Bowl-themed episode.
Rodriguez, known for his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, and his professional dance partner Witney Carson were eliminated after posting the evening’s lowest score. The remaining couples performed routines set to songs by past Super Bowl halftime headliners, coinciding with parent network ABC preparing to broadcast Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.
Football theme brings guest stars to the ballroom
ESPN “Monday Night Football” lead broadcaster Joe Buck joined regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli at the scoring table for the evening. Buck admitted to the ballroom audience early in the broadcast that he lacked technical dance expertise, Deadline reported, but offered lively commentary throughout the night.
The broadcast opened with appearances by former NFL stars and past mirrorball trophy recipients Emmitt Smith and Donald Driver, who performed to Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” according to Sports Illustrated. Former players DeMarcus Ware and Danny Amendola also participated in the broadcast.
Rodriguez and Carson opened their salsa to Bad Bunny’s “Tití Me Preguntó” with Rodriguez lounging on a sofa before joining the routine, according to the Daily Mail. Carson, who revealed her pregnancy in August, earned praise from Inaba for managing the physical demands of the routine. Buck and Inaba both awarded the pair scores of six, while Hough and Tonioli handed out scores of five, leaving them with a total of 22 out of 40 points.
“I had a lot of fun. It was great,” Rodriguez said after the elimination, as reported by the New York Post. “Witney, I love you for teaching me how to dance.”
Carson thanked Rodriguez for his support throughout rehearsals, noting his attentiveness during her pregnancy, Page Six reported. Reality television personality Tyler Cameron and partner Sharna Burgess were also left in jeopardy before the final elimination verdict was announced.
Dewan and Frech tie at top of the leaderboard
At the opposite end of the scoring table, two couples shared the top spot with scores of 36 out of 40. Actress Jenna Dewan and partner Val Chmerkovskiy earned four straight scores of nine for their paso doble set to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Dewan managed rehearsal time while concurrently filming the television series “The Rookie,” according to Deadline.
Paralympic athlete Ezra Frech matched that mark alongside partner Daniella Karagach. The duo closed the competition with a salsa to Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” drawing praise from Tonioli and Hough, who noted Frech’s commanding stage presence, Deadline reported.
Other highlights included Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn scoring 34 points with Pasha Pashkov for a samba to J Balvin’s “Mi Gente,” while actress Julia Stiles earned 33 points alongside Ezra Sosa for a jazz routine honoring Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny From the Block.”
Nine couples now remain in contention for the mirrorball trophy. The competition continues next Tuesday with Dedication Night, where the remaining celebrities will perform routines honoring meaningful figures and milestones in their personal lives.
