‘It’s Going to Be a United Moment’
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is unbothered by the storm of controversy surrounding the NFL’s selection of anti-ICE cross-dressing rapper Bad Bunny as halftime entertainment at this year’s Super Bowl.
In fact, he thinks the Puerto Rican rapper will deliver a “unifying” performance.
The backlash the league has received ranges from NFL fans on social media to President Trump himself. On Wednesday, Goodell responded not only to criticism of the decision, but also to demands that the league hire another artist.
“It’s carefully considered,” Goodell said while defending the league’s decision. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist without backlash or criticism. That’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people watching… We’re confident it’s going to be a great show. He understands the platform he’s on, and I think it will be exciting and a moment of unity.”
Goodell added: “He’s one of the biggest and most popular artists in the world. That’s what we’re trying to achieve. It’s an important milestone for us. It’s an important part of entertainment value.”
The commissioner’s belief in Bad Bunny’s entertainment value is not shared by President Trump, who said earlier this month that the league’s decision was “absolutely ridiculous.”
“I don’t know who he is…I don’t know why they’re doing this. It’s crazy,” Trump said in an interview with NewsMax. “And then they blame it on a promoter that they hired to take care of the entertainment – I think that’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Homeland Security boss Kristi Noem was less charitable toward the league. When asked by podcast host Benny Johnson what she thought about the NFL selecting an anti-ICE performer and expressing concern about touring the United States due to immigration enforcement by the department she oversees, she confirmed that ICE would be “all over the place” in the Super Bowl. As for the NFL, Noem said it “sucks” and is “weak.”
The Super Bowl will take place on February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
