NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is addressing the criticism surrounding Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime show.
“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell, 66, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday, October 22, of the Puerto Rican star’s success. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value, and it’s carefully thought through.”
Goodell added that this is far from the first time the NFL has faced backlash for its choice of performer.
“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback and criticism,” he said. “It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”
The commissioner went on to add that surprise guests haven’t been ruled out, noting that numerous halftime shows in recent years have featured unannounced performers. (Bad Bunny, 31, was himself a surprise guest during Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 halftime show.)
“The show will evolve from here,” Goodell said. “I am not saying that there won’t be additional talent that might be involved, but that’s always the way it works.”
He added that the NFL is “confident” Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) will put on a “great” performance. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment,” said Goodell.
The NFL announced in September that Bad Bunny will headline the halftime show, sponsored by Apple Music, at Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026. While the rapper’s fans were thrilled by the news, some conservative commentators complained that Bad Bunny performs almost entirely in Spanish. The Grammy winner also faced criticism for refusing to tour in the United States this year over fears that ICE would target attendees at his concerts.
One such critic is President Donald Trump, who claimed he’s never heard of Bad Bunny during an October 6 interview on Newsmax. “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy,” Trump, 79, said at the time. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
More recently, a Change.org petition has circulated that suggests replacing Bad Bunny with country superstar George Strait. The late Charlie Kirk’s nonprofit organization, Turning Point USA, is also hosting its own “All-American Halftime Show” that will celebrate “faith, family and freedom.” (Bad Bunny was born in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated U.S. territory, which makes him a U.S. citizen.)
Bad Bunny addressed the backlash himself while hosting Saturday Night Live on October 4.
“You may not know this but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show,” he said during his monologue. “I’m very happy and I think everyone is very happy about it! Even Fox News.”
SNL then showed a montage of news clips critical of his Super Bowl spot, though it was edited to say: “Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.”
The rapper then said, “Really, I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl and I know people all around the world who love my music are also happy.”
After briefly speaking in Spanish, he then quipped, “If you didn’t understand now what I just said, you have four months to learn!”
