NFL commissioner Roger Goodell weighed in on whether Bad Bunny might get political during the Super Bowl LX halftime show on Sunday, February 8.
Bunny — real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — spoke out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during one of his acceptance speeches at the 2026 Grammys on Sunday, February 1.
During a press conference on Monday, February 2, ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl LX, a reporter asked Goodell, 66, whether he expected any similar political statements during the big game.
“Bad Bunny, 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,” the NFL commissioner said, referring to the Puerto Rican star winning the night’s top prize, Album of the Year, for his LP Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
“But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on,” Goodell continued. “This platform is 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. I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that and I think he’ll have a great performance.”
Bunny, 31, was one of the stars who spoke out about ICE at Sunday’s Grammys while accepting the award for Best Música Urbana Album.
“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans,” the rapper said.
“I want to say to people, I know it’s tough not to hate in these days, and I was thinking we get contaminados — I don’t know how to say that in English,” he continued, using the Spanish word for “contaminated.”
Bunny added, “The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. We don’t hate them. We love our people, we love our family and that’s the way to do it. With love. Don’t forget that, please.”
The NFL announced Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl LX halftime show headliner back in September 2025. The decision was criticized by some on the conservative right because Bunny performs largely in Spanish.
In October 2025, Goodell said the NFL would not consider changing its choice of headliner.
“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell told reporters at the time. “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.”
A poll published by The Athletic on Monday found that nearly half of NFL players surveyed disapproved of Bunny headlining Sunday’s halftime show. 41.4 percent of those polled said they weren’t in favor of Bunny performing, while 58.6 percent approved the selection.
“I don’t even know who Bad Bunny is. I always think it should be an American. I think they’re trying too hard with this international stuff,” an unnamed NFC player told the outlet. (Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States and Bunny is an American citizen.)
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