NFL commissioner weighs in on backlash to Bad Bunny Halftime Show

Roger Goodell is standing by the NFL’s choice to have Bad Bunny be this year’s Super Bowl Halftime performer.

Ever since the Grammy winner was announced as this year’s pick, it was quick to draw irrational ire among those on the right (as many seemingly innocuous things do), so much so that Turning Point USA, the organization founded by late far-right agitator Charlie Kirk, is attempting to compete with the Halftime Show — the most-watched television broadcast almost every year — with their own show.

Still, the NFL commissioner is standing by the “DtMF” winner, and whatever statement his performance may bring.

During a news conference preceding the championship game slated for Sunday, February 8, Roger was asked whether he is anticipating any political statements from Bad Bunny, given his speech at the Grammys the night before, in which he declared: “ICE out,” amid the current administration’s much-abhorred immigration tactics.

“I think Bad Bunny, and I think that was demonstrated last night, is one of the great artists in the world, and that’s one of the reasons we chose him,” he maintained. 

He continued: “But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on, and that this platform is used to unite people, and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talents, and to be able to use this moment to do that.”

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“I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that, and I think he’ll have a great performance,” he emphasized. 

He was also asked about ICE’s presence at the event, of which he said: “Security is obviously one of the things we focus on the most. It’s a SEAR [Special Event Assessment Rating] 1 level event that involves unique assets at the federal level, state level, and the local level, all working together.”

Back in October, the Department of Homeland Security shared they would patrol the big game to make arrests of undocumented immigrants, however the NFL’s chief security officer Cathy L. Lanier confirmed this week they are “confident” that ICE has no planned operations at the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. 

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“I see no change in that, in the preparations for the Super Bowl. We’ve not seen that. We’re working with all three of those levels and doing everything we can to make sure it’s a safe environment, and the federal government is a big part of that, including this administration and every other administration before that,” Roger added.

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Per a new poll from The Athletic for which 58 NFl players were polled, 41.4% said they were unhappy with the league’s performer choice, citing a lack of familiarity with Bad Bunny’s music or a preference for other artists. According to Spotify, Bad Bunny has 85.1m monthly listeners.

As for Turning Point USA’s rival Halftime Show, they have announced Kid Rock as their headliner for their “All-American Halftime Show’s performers,” — Bad Bunny, being from Puerto Rico, is an American as well — in addition to other country singers. Coverage for it will start at 7:30pm ET on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).