Red Hot Chili Peppers talk Super Bowl halftime performance, working with Bruno Mars

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Though the Red Hot Chili Peppers made their Super Bowl debut Sunday, band members say they had been in talks to play on the big day in the past.

“The conversation had occurred prior over the years,” Anthony Kiedis said backstage after the band performed with Bruno Mars.

The Chili Peppers didn’t offer any more details about possibly hitting the Super Bowl stage before Sunday’s collaboration with Mars, where they were excited to perform “Give It Away” with the pop crooner at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Kiedis added that though it wasn’t too cold on game day, rehearsals were brutal. They were also fun.

“It could have been snowing, sleeting, raining. It would have been nice tonight, but rehearsals were a bit nippy,” Kiedis said.

They even threw a football around, he said: “We did score touchdowns during rehearsals before they kicked us off the field, which was like a dream come true. (Our drummer) Chad Smith threw me a touchdown pass — one of the greatest feelings of my life.”

Kiedes also said Mars was a pleasure to collaborate with.

“Bruno Mars is a complete and utter gentleman. I gained a ton of respect. He was awesome, intelligent (and) kind,” he said.

“Bruno is a very nice man and his band(mates) are a bunch of sweethearts and it was very nice to work with all of them,” Flea added.

Flea also said kind words about Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died Sunday.

“Rest in peace. He was a beautiful, beautiful man,” he said.

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AP Writer John Carucci contributed to this report.