A new anonymous survey of NFL players suggests the league’s decision to select rapper Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer has generated mixed reactions inside locker rooms, with only a slim majority expressing approval.
According to results from The Athletic’s player survey, as reported by Sports Illustrated, 58.6% of the 58 players surveyed said they approve of Bad Bunny headlining the halftime show, while 41.4% said they do not. The results indicate notable division among players over one of the NFL’s most controversial entertainment decisions.
Players who opposed the selection most commonly cited unfamiliarity with Bad Bunny’s music or a preference for a different artist. However, The Athletic reported that some players offered sharper criticism of the choice.
One NFC player said he would have preferred “anyone who’s synonymous with football and football culture,” adding that there are many artists who are fans of the game. An AFC player questioned whether Bad Bunny represents the kind of “character and morality” he would want associated with the event. Another NFC player said he did not know who the artist was and expressed frustration with what he viewed as an emphasis on international appeal, stating that he believed the performer should be American. Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory since 1917, though it has a distinct cultural identity.
When asked who they believed should headline a Super Bowl Halftime Show, players offered a wide range of alternatives, including Drake, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Creed, Justin Bieber, Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen.
Bad Bunny’s selection has generated debate well beyond the league. Following the NFL’s announcement, criticism quickly spread across social media, with detractors objecting to the artist’s public persona and political statements. Despite the backlash, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has defended the decision, arguing that halftime performers routinely face criticism and that the league remains confident in the choice.
Goodell said the selection process is deliberate and acknowledged that no artist can appeal to everyone, given the size of the Super Bowl audience. He added that the league believes the performance will be exciting and described it as an opportunity for a unifying moment.
Super Bowl LX is scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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I am not familiar with one of these singers. What on earth is a Bad Bunny? There is a Good Bunny and a Bad Bunny???