American football star Stefon Diggs has publicly endorsed the National Football League's decision to feature Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny as the headline performer for this year's Super Bowl halftime show, despite significant political controversy surrounding the singer's outspoken criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Diggs Voices Support Amid Political Firestorm
The New England Patriots wide receiver, who is preparing for his first Super Bowl appearance this Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, California, addressed the ongoing debate during the Super Bowl's opening night event on Monday. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Diggs expressed his personal admiration for the artist while carefully sidestepping the political dimensions of the selection.
'I don't really get into politics or religion on camera or on the internet,' Diggs stated. 'I keep my personal views to myself because nobody cares about how you feel. There's always going to be someone that disagrees with you.'
Focus on Artistic Merit Over Politics
Diggs emphasised Bad Bunny's global stature and musical talent as the primary reasons for his support. 'I think Benito is one hell of an artist. I feel like they picked him for a reason. He's one of the biggest artists in the world,' the athlete remarked, adding with a touch of humour, 'I even listen to the songs and I can barely say the words.'
The Patriots player concluded his thoughts by saying, 'I think he was a great choice and I look forward to the halftime show, watching it after the game not during. I hope it's a great show and people enjoy it.' Diggs is romantically linked to rapper Cardi B, who is anticipated to be present at Levi's Stadium to support him during the championship game.
NFL Commissioner's Diplomatic Response
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell adopted a measured tone when questioned about Bad Bunny's latest comments regarding ICE, which the artist made during his acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. Just one week before his Super Bowl performance, Bad Bunny used his Grammy platform to declare 'ICE Out' while collecting three awards, including the prestigious Album of the Year honour.
Addressing the media at his annual Super Bowl week press conference, Goodell described Bad Bunny as 'one of the greatest artists in the world' before elaborating on the NFL's perspective. 'He understood the platform he was on,' Goodell stated. 'This platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talent, 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.'
Grammy Speech Fuels Pre-Game Controversy
During his Grammy victory speech, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, received a substantial ovation from the audience after his initial comments about ICE. He continued by making a passionate appeal for humanity and love, stating, 'We are not savage. We are not animals. We are not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans. 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.'
Political Backlash and Historical Context
The announcement in late September that Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl halftime show immediately ignited a political controversy that has persisted in the buildup to Sunday's game. The selection drew swift criticism from several high-ranking government officials who questioned the appropriateness of featuring an artist with a history of criticising U.S. immigration policies.
Bad Bunny had previously cited ICE agents as a primary reason for excluding mainland United States dates from his concert tour schedule. Former President Donald Trump was among the most prominent figures to condemn the NFL's decision, subsequently revealing that he would not be attending the Super Bowl due to the Puerto Rican artist's involvement.
As the sporting world's attention turns toward Santa Clara for the championship clash between the Patriots and Seahawks, the halftime performance promises to be as politically charged as it is musically spectacular, with Diggs's supportive comments adding an athlete's perspective to the ongoing national conversation.
