NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reaffirmed that Bad Bunny will perform at the upcoming Super Bowl LX halftime show, dismissing criticism from President Donald Trump and his supporters. The decision, which was made in late September, sparked a global backlash, but Goodell insisted it was carefully considered.
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was chosen for the high-profile gig due to his immense popularity worldwide. However, Trump expressed his disapproval, stating he had "never heard of" Bad Bunny and claimed the decision was "crazy."
Goodell defended the choice, citing Bad Bunny's massive fan base as a major factor in the selection. He acknowledged that not everyone would agree with the artist, but emphasized that it was an important aspect of the entertainment value of the event.
Bad Bunny has been vocal about his opposition to Trump and his policies, including his stance on deportation policies affecting Latinos. His 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, which he performed during, sparked further controversy.
Despite the backlash, Goodell expressed confidence that Bad Bunny's performance will be a success, describing it as an "exciting and united moment" for the NFL and its fans. The San Francisco 49ers will host the Super Bowl on February 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
In other news, there was no discussion about revising the quarterback sneak rule during the owners' meeting, with Goodell stating that it is not a priority at present. However, he acknowledged that the league would continue to monitor and adjust rules as needed.
Goodell also touched on replay reviews and game length, noting that times have improved in the first seven weeks of the season despite an increase in kick returns. He expressed confidence that the league will navigate collective bargaining discussions, which are expected to include talks about an 18-game regular season and other issues.
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was chosen for the high-profile gig due to his immense popularity worldwide. However, Trump expressed his disapproval, stating he had "never heard of" Bad Bunny and claimed the decision was "crazy."
Goodell defended the choice, citing Bad Bunny's massive fan base as a major factor in the selection. He acknowledged that not everyone would agree with the artist, but emphasized that it was an important aspect of the entertainment value of the event.
Bad Bunny has been vocal about his opposition to Trump and his policies, including his stance on deportation policies affecting Latinos. His 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, which he performed during, sparked further controversy.
Despite the backlash, Goodell expressed confidence that Bad Bunny's performance will be a success, describing it as an "exciting and united moment" for the NFL and its fans. The San Francisco 49ers will host the Super Bowl on February 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
In other news, there was no discussion about revising the quarterback sneak rule during the owners' meeting, with Goodell stating that it is not a priority at present. However, he acknowledged that the league would continue to monitor and adjust rules as needed.
Goodell also touched on replay reviews and game length, noting that times have improved in the first seven weeks of the season despite an increase in kick returns. He expressed confidence that the league will navigate collective bargaining discussions, which are expected to include talks about an 18-game regular season and other issues.
like seriously benito antonio martinez ocasio is a global superstar and goodell knows it the nfl would be crazy to pass on that kinda exposure anyway i love how goodell stood his ground despite all the backlash though 
the 18-game regular season tho idk about that idea does anyone really think we can handle more football games without losing our minds 
I gotta say, I'm kinda surprised by Goodell's stance on this whole Bad Bunny thing. Like, I get it, the guy has a huge following worldwide, but you'd think Trump would've had some influence over that decision considering his, uh, let's just say "strong" opinions 
. And I'm not gonna lie, I kinda love how Goodell is owning this and just going with it 
. It shows confidence in his team and the artist, which is always a good vibe 
. Now, about that quarterback sneak rule... can we please talk about something else? 
to bad bunny!!! like who doesnt know who he is? benito antonio martínez ocasio aka bad bunny is a global superstar 
his music is everywhere and he's been killing it on tour 
the nfl shouldnt be pressured by trump's opinions anyway, they made their decision for a reason 
and i'm all about that halftime show being fire 
can't wait to see benito bring the energy to the super bowl 
And yeah, I can see how some folks might not agree with the choice, but who doesn't love live music and a little bit of controversy? 
It's all part of the show, right?
It seems like it would be an easy fix to prevent those weird plays from happening. Maybe I'm just old school, but can't we just make it a simple in-and-out instead? 
But seriously, how hard is it to get the calls right? 
can't wait to see Benito work that stage! 
I've been listening to his music nonstop since I found out he was playing. It's gonna be lit! 
. The dude's got a point about Bad Bunny's massive fan base - that's some serious draw power right there 
. can we pls just have some fun entertainment for once instead of drama 
. and btw 18-game season sounds like a no-brainer to me let's get that done already 
i think its awesome that goodell stuck by his guns and gave bad bunny a chance - the dude has an insane following worldwide 
And can we please talk about how outdated the quarterback sneak rule still is? 
i mean, trump might not be a fan of bad bunny, but that's not exactly what this is about 