Goodell Comments On Halftime Show: ‘It’s Carefully Thought Through’

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Rachel Stevenson
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Well, here we go again. The NFL, once the proud stomping ground of hard hits, tailgate parties, and a good old-fashioned patriotic halftime performance, has once again taken a hard left turn—and this time, it’s landing us smack in the middle of a Bad Bunny halftime show.

Yes, that Bad Bunny. The one who rants about ICE, sings exclusively in Spanish, and has zero interest in performing for fans in the United States unless he gets a guarantee that immigration officers won’t show up. So, naturally… he’s the perfect face of America’s biggest sporting event?

Roger Goodell, who hasn’t exactly been a poster child for common sense in recent years, decided now was the moment to double down. No replacement. No reconsideration. No apology. Bad Bunny is in—and if you don’t speak Spanish, well, you can take a lesson. Literally. That was Benito Ocasio’s advice: “Learn Spanish.” Because apparently, you don’t deserve to enjoy your country’s biggest game unless you can follow along in a language you didn’t grow up with.

It gets better. The same guy who casually referred to ICE agents as “motherf***ers” and “sons of bitches” is being handed the mic at center field, live, in front of 100 million Americans. It’s not even subtle anymore. We’re way past the “maybe they didn’t know” stage. This is deliberate. It’s a flex. And it’s not for you.

No, it’s for the global crowd. That’s what Goodell said, right? Bad Bunny is one of the most “popular entertainers in the world.” And that’s the metric now. Not American values. Not a cultural connection. Not even musical relevance to the audience watching. It’s about global appeal, international reach, and toeing the line with the Hollywood elite—most of whom couldn’t tell you the difference between a first down and a double latte.

Remember when Super Bowl halftime shows celebrated American culture? Country icons, rock legends, even pop stars who understood the gravity of that moment? Gone. Instead, we get a performer who once bragged about avoiding the U.S. on tour because he didn’t want his undocumented fans being deported. You really can’t make this up.

And before anyone suggests this is some fringe controversy, let’s talk numbers. A petition to replace Bad Bunny with George Strait—an actual legend and someone who still believes in apple pie and America—has cleared 50,000 signatures. That’s not a fringe reaction. That’s a country waking up and saying: “Wait… what the hell is going on here?”

Oh, and don’t think this is ending with a strongly-worded tweet. Turning Point USA is stepping in with their own All-American Halftime Show. Same time, different values. And you better believe people will be watching. Not just to protest the NFL, but because they want a reminder of what this country still stands for. Patriotism. Tradition. The English language. You know… America.

So while Roger Goodell smiles through the backlash and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation checks another box on their global branding checklist, the rest of us are left wondering when exactly we lost the plot. And why celebrating the country we love has become controversial.

Stay tuned. Because this isn’t just about music anymore. This is about whether the American culture millions grew up with still gets a seat at the table—or whether it’s been replaced entirely, one halftime show at a time.

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