Dancing with the Stars celebrated Super Bowl Night on October 13, featuring guest judge Joe Buck, top scores for Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, and a surprising elimination for Guillermo Rodriguez. The special episode also served as an early preview of Super Bowl LXI.
The ballroom took on a distinctly athletic energy on October 13, as Dancing with the Stars held its first-ever Super Bowl Night for Season 35. Eleven remaining couples performed routines choreographed to iconic songs from past Super Bowl halftime shows, paying homage to artists like Shakira, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, and Usher.
Joe Buck Joins the Judges’ Table as Eleven Couples Face Elimination
Stepping away from the broadcast booth, sports broadcaster Joe Buck joined regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli as a special guest judge.
The evening opened with an energetic number set to tracks by Bad Bunny, Rihanna, and Kendrick Lamar. As the competition unfolded, the leaderboard saw fierce competition at the top alongside struggles at the bottom.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy Claim Top Leaderboard Spots
Sharing the highest honors of the night, Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy captured a 36 out of 40 from the judges.
Dewan and pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy delivered a paso doble to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. The performance drew high praise from the judges, with Inaba calling it the first touchdown of the evening and Hough comparing the sheer power and precision of the routine to a linebacker and a star quarterback.
That paso had more power than a linebacker, it had more precision than a star quarterback, that was a Super Bowl champion performance!
Derek Hough, Judge
Meanwhile, Ezra Frech and partner Daniella Karagach matched the top score with a salsa set to Nelly’s Hot in Herre, closing out the competitive portion of the night with straight nines.
Julia Stiles Recreates Save the Last Dance Moves With Ezra Sosa
One of the most talked-about moments of the night came when Julia Stiles performed a hip-hop inspired jazz routine with pro partner Ezra Sosa. Dancing to Jennifer Lopez’s Jenny From the Block, Stiles treated viewers to a heavy dose of nostalgia by weaving choreography from her classic film Save the Last Dance into the routine.
Watching proudly from the audience was Stiles’ former on-screen co-star, Sean Patrick Thomas, mirroring his spot in the film’s finale dance audition.
I am just over the moon to be here to watch Julia do her thing tonight on Dancing with the Stars. We had a great time doing Save the Last Dance back in the day, and she brought it all the way back here tonight.
Sean Patrick Thomas, Actor
The performance earned Stiles her first nine of the season from Joe Buck, who noted she could have shared the stage with Lopez, bringing her combined score to 33 out of 40.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson Sent Home in Week 5
Despite bringing immense energy to the ballroom, Guillermo Rodriguez and pro partner Witney Carson were eliminated after landing at the bottom of the leaderboard. The duo performed a salsa to Bad Bunny’s Tití Me Preguntó, earning a total score of 22 out of 40.
Reflecting on his time on the show after his elimination, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! star expressed gratitude for the experience.
I had a lot of fun, it was great. Witney, thank you for teaching me how to dance!
Guillermo Rodriguez, Contestant
Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess also found themselves in jeopardy during the results segment, but ultimately survived to compete another week. The episode acted as an early showcase for the upcoming sports broadcast schedule, looking ahead to Super Bowl LXI airing on ABC and ESPN in February 2027. The competition continues when DWTS returns on ABC on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET for Dedication Night, featuring guest judge Kym Johnson.
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