NFL chief Roger Goodell defends Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl spot despite backlash
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: After weeks of MAGA backlash, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell isn’t backing down. More than a month after controversy erupted over Bad Bunny headlining the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Goodell is standing firm on the decision.
The announcement, made by Apple Music and the NFL on September 28, sparked outrage among some conservative figures who criticized the choice because the global superstar performs primarily in Spanish.
What did the NFL report on Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance?
“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said in defense of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl booking during a news conference on Wednesday, October 22. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching… We’re confident it’s going to be a great show."
He added, "He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”
Goodell went on to praise the Puerto Rican superstar, adding, “He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world. That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”
Bad Bunny's upcoming Super Bowl performance sparks MAGA outrage
Donald Trump called Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl performance “absolutely ridiculous” during a NewsMax interview earlier this month. He admitted he had never heard of the singer, saying, “I don’t know who he is… I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s crazy.”
Trump claimed the decision came from “some promoter” the NFL hired and said the choice made no sense. "And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment — I think it’s absolutely ridiculous."
Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was among the first to criticize the decision. He even threatened that ICE agents would be at the Super Bowl next year.
“There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,” he warned. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you. Know that is a very real situation under this administration, which is contrary to how it used to be.”
Bunny’s Super Bowl booking stood out because it’s his only US performance scheduled for 2026. His Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, running from December 2025 through July 2026, skips the United States entirely. In an interview with I-D magazine last month, the singer said his fear of ICE raids partly influenced that choice.
Later, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed Lewandowski’s comments on Benny Johnson’s podcast. She said ICE would be “all over that place” during the 2026 Super Bowl and promised that agents would “enforce the law.”
Petition calls for George Strait to replace Bad Bunny
Several news media recently reported on a viral online petition demanding that the NFL replace Bad Bunny with country legend George Strait for the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
In response to the controversy, the conservative group Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced plans to host its own halftime event to protest Bad Bunny’s performance.
At the same time, many artists have voiced support for the Puerto Rican superstar. Shakira, who shared the Super Bowl stage with Jennifer Lopez and featured Bad Bunny in her own show—praised his upcoming headlining spot.
She told Variety, “I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture but also how important Spanish language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world. It’s the perfect moment for a performance like this. I can’t wait to watch it.” The 2026 Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 8.
