As Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez vie for the crown in Season 11 of "American Idol," their journey to stardom is only beginning. Along with the "American Idol" summer tour, multiple television appearances and an eventual recording contract, "Idol" winners and finalists often perform the national anthem at professional sports games.

In the past, five extraordinary "American Idol" performers have sung at NFL events and done amazing on the "Star Spangled Banner." The list includes platinum-selling artists and Grammy winners, and most of them are NFL fans, too.

Kelly Clarkson - Super Bowl XLVI

Before the New York Giants triumphed over the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLVI, "American Idol" Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson took the field and slayed the national anthem. The song has been compared numerous times to Whitney Houston's Super Bowl XXV rendition, and she showed why she is still relevant 11 seasons after winning "Idol."

Carrie Underwood - Super Bowl XLIV

With a marching band behind her, Carrie Underwood took the stage at Super Bowl XLIV and used her country twang to deliver a memorable performance. Underwood is no stranger to national anthem performances. She sang at the 2006 MLB All-Star game and at the NFC Championship game in 2006.

Chris Daughtry - 2007 NFC Championship

Chris Daughtry may not have won Season 5 of "American Idol," but he continues to show the most success from that season. Using his rock vocals on the national anthem was a great touch and helped build up the intense game between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears. Daughtry was equally impressive during the 2011 World Series when he sang during Game 7.

David Cook - Kansas City Chiefs 9/11/11

Season 7 "American Idol" winner David Cook is a proud Kansas City Chiefs fan, and he had the honor of singing the national anthem during the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. He sang a flawless rendition for the home crowd.

Kris Allen - 2011 NFL Pro Bowl

The Pro Bowl may have been a bust these past couple of years, but Season 8 "American Idol" winner Kris Allen added some life to the festivities with his national anthem performance. The song had a nice Hawaiian touch on it with some background ukelele. Allen has also performed during the NBA Finals and other NFL games.

Alan Donahue has written hundreds of pop-culture and sports articles. His favorite teams are the New York Giants and LA Lakers.

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