Rihanna opener cancelled for 'Thursday Night Football' opener

Rihanna, a victim of domestic violence herself, was supposed to perform the opener for CBS’ first Thursday Night Football broadcast tonight. But the network changed its plans at the last second, dropping the “We Found Love” singer.

CBS Sports told Sports Illustrated that it began to reshape its pregame show on Wednesday, 72 hours after the full video of Ray Rice’s actions in an elevator in February was leaked by TMZ Sports. The network had planned to open the broadcast with a comedy sketch and Rihanna’s performance of “Run This Town,” along with a Don Cheadle narration.

Now, though, that has all been scrapped. Instead, a new report from CBS This Morning’s Norah O’Donnell will air. O’Donnell got the scoop on Tuesday as the first reporter to speak with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the tape’s release.

“It’s important to realize we are not overreacting to this story but it is as big a story as has faced the NFL,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus told SI. “We thought journalistically and from a tone standpoint, we needed to have the appropriate tone and coverage. A lot of the production elements we wanted in the show are being eliminated because of time or tone.”

Coincidentally, the first TNF game will feature Rice’s former team, the Baltimore Ravens, who will play division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Earlier today, Goodell announced that he has picked former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III to lead an independent investigation into the league’s handling of the Rice case. However, the investigation will still be overseen by two NFL owners.

Rihanna was the victim of domestic abuse from Chris Brown, who is still on probation, in 2009.

image courtesy of Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com

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