NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has delivered a robust defence of the league's decision to select Bad Bunny as the official halftime performer for Super Bowl LX, following the Puerto Rican superstar's controversial comments about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations at the Grammy Awards.
Goodell's Public Support for Controversial Performer
Speaking during his annual State of the NFL address in San Jose, just days before the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots face off in Super Bowl 2026, Goodell described Bad Bunny as "one of the great artists in the world" and emphasised his global appeal as crucial to the selection process. The commissioner's comments come amid significant debate within the NFL community about the choice of performer.
Security Planning Remains Unchanged
Goodell confirmed that there would be no alterations to Super Bowl security planning despite Bad Bunny's vocal "ICE out" protest at the Grammys, where he collected multiple awards including Album of the Year for the first entirely Spanish-language album to win that category. The NFL commissioner stressed that the game maintains its Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) 1 status, coordinated by federal, state and local agencies as it has for decades.
"Bad Bunny demonstrated last night that he is one of the great artists in the world," Goodell stated firmly. "That's one of the reasons we chose him. The other reason is he understood the platform he was on and that this platform is to use to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talents."
Divided Reactions Within NFL Circles
The commissioner's endorsement follows an anonymous survey revealing mixed reactions within NFL locker rooms to Bad Bunny's selection. While many players supported the decision, some expressed confusion about the artist or questioned why the Super Bowl doesn't consistently feature American performers, despite Bad Bunny being a Puerto Rican-born American citizen and the event's history of international acts.
Broader Context of High-Profile Events
The Super Bowl joins other major international events classified as SEAR 1 occasions, including February's Winter Olympics, this summer's FIFA World Cup, and the World Baseball Classic spanning multiple global locations. Homeland Security designates these as major events of national or international significance with complex logistical requirements.
Goodell's comments arrive shortly after the NFL honoured Martin Luther King Jr. during the Divisional Round of playoffs with 'choose love' end zone stencils, and as the league issued statements regarding unrelated controversies including a billionaire team owner's implication in the Epstein Files.
The commissioner expressed confidence in Bad Bunny's upcoming performance, stating: "I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that, and I think he'll have a great performance." This marks another chapter in the ongoing conversation about political expression, artistic selection, and security protocols surrounding one of the world's most watched sporting events.
