From seemingly the moment the NFL announced that Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, the hot takes have come pouring in about the league’s selection.
Critics have said that viewers won’t be able to connect with someone who performs primarily in Spanish, while his supporters have pointed to the three-time Grammy winner’s treasure trove of awards and massive global popularity.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, said in a statement in September alongside the announcement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown … this is for my people, my culture and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
As the NFL playoffs creep closer, here’s what the stars have said about Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance.
Miami witnessed a historic night as Latin music’s power shone brighter than ever. The 25th annual Billboard Latin Music Awards were broadcast live from the James L. Knight Center on Thursday, October 23, celebrating a quarter‑century of honoring Spanish‑language music with a mix of tributes, show‑stopping performances and defining moments. Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny […]
Jay-Z
Jay-Z Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Jay-Z has some skin in the game, as his Roc Nation produces the Super Bowl halftime show. Speaking to TMZ in October, he reacted to people “hating on” Bad Bunny.
“They love him. Don’t let them fool you,” he said.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez Photo by David Becker/Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez, who shared halftime duties with Shakira in 2020, set her expectations high for Bad Bunny.
“I think he’s about to blow everybody’s mind,” she gushed in an October appearance on the Today show. “It’s an introduction to some people.”
Lopez also said she wasn’t even aware of the backlash until host Craig Melvin brought it up.
“I swear I don’t know,” she said. “Why? But why? I don’t understand that. He’s one of the top artists in the world right now, probably the top.”
When Bad Bunny invited Belinda on stage during his Puerto Rico residency, fans weren’t sure if they were witnessing just a concert — or the beginning of a story that felt destined to happen. It wasn’t a simple improvised duet. It was the meeting of two artists whose connection had started years earlier, when Benito […]
Shakira
Shakira looked back on her 2020 performance, telling Variety in October that it’s “about time” Spanish-language music became mainstream.
“I remember when we did ours that even having part of our set in Spanish was a bold move,” she said. “Acceptance of Spanish-language music as part of the mainstream has come so far from when I started. I hope and like to think that all the times my music was met with resistance or puzzlement from the English-speaking world before it was embraced, helped forge the path to where we are now.”
“I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture but also how important Spanish language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world,” Shakira continued. “It’s the perfect moment for a performance like this. I can’t wait to watch it.”
Brett Favre
Brett Favre Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Former Super Bowl-winning quarterback and Hall of Famer Brett Favre was asked who he would prefer to see perform at halftime on a November episode of his “4th and Favre” podcast.
“Maybe Jason Aldean,” Favre said. “You know, someone who loves this country and that everyone can relate to. I think Jason Aldean right now is as big a patriot and has a great voice.”
Sting has been added to the lineup of musical guests performing during the weekend of the 2026 Super Bowl. The “Every Breath You Take” singer, 74, is set to headline a Super Bowl-branded concert at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on February 6, 2026, the NFL’s hospitality provider, On Location, announced on […]
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll immediately jumped into the comments section when Bad Bunny announced the honor via Instagram.
“From Wrestlemania to the Super Bowl- you inspire us all! Much love 🐰,” he wrote.
Danica Patrick
Outspoken former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick gave a sarcastic response via X in September.
“Oh fun,” she wrote. “No songs in English should not be allowed at one of America’s highest rated television events of the year … not just for sports.”
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno Photo by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images
Puerto Rican actress and singer Rita Moreno expressed her excitement for Bad Bunny in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly en Español at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards in October.
“Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl? Ay, I’m delirious!” she said.
Asked about Bad Bunny’s critics, who accused him of not being American despite him being from Puerto Rico, Moreno clapped back: “So what? I’m Puerto Rican too. So what? What a nuisance!”
Brittany Mahomes doesn’t take game day fashion lightly. Brittany never fails to perfectly coordinate her outfits with the Kansas City Chiefs signature colors — red, white and gold — while supporting husband Patrick Mahomes. Recently, Brittany has sparked up a friendship with Taylor Swift, who is dating the Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. The duo […]
President Donald Trump
Donald Trump Photo by John McDonnell/Getty Images
President Donald Trump appeared on Newsmax in October, where he was asked about those who want to boycott the league over Bad Bunny’s selection. While he didn’t go as far as to support a boycott, he called the decision “absolutely ridiculous.”
“I’ve never heard of him,” Trump said. “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy.”
Eric Dickerson
Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson gave one of the more impassioned criticisms of the NFL’s decision.
“I don’t even know who the hell the guy is. I’ve never heard of him,” he told TMZ in October. “I’m not that big into music. What’s his name? What the hell does Bad Bunny sing? I don’t know one of [his] songs.”
“If Bad Bunny don’t like the United States, keep his ass where he at. Don’t come on here singing,” Dickerson continued. “I’m not surprised the NFL would do something like this.”
Dickerson seemed to be referring to an interview Bad Bunny did with i-D Magazine in September in which he explained that he was not scheduling concerts in the United States during his tour out of concerns over ICE showing up.
Megan Thee Stallion has her eyes set on the ultimate stage. “I’m manifesting a Super Bowl halftime performance for myself in the future,” the “Savage” rapper, 30, exclusively tells Us Weekly while promoting her Fanatics Sportsbook’s “Explained by Megan Thee Stallion” series. “Honestly, I would really love the opportunity if it presented itself and I […]
“Keep his ass in Puerto Rico,” Dickerson added. “If he don’t like the U.S., keep his ass over there.”
After being reminded that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, he added, “I know Puerto Rico is part of the U.S., but it’s not the U.S. That’s how I look at it. That’s how I feel. They get these performers and they say all this controversial stuff about the United States, about how they hate the U.S. and all that kind of stuff. If you hate the U.S., don’t come here.”
Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s decision, pointing to Bad Bunny’s popularity and reminding fans that all halftime acts have come with their share of blowback.
“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” he said at a news conference in October. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value, and it’s carefully thought through.”
“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback and criticism,” he added. “It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”
Taylor Lewan
Former Tennessee Titans tackle Taylor Lewan said in a September appearance on Up & Adams that Bad Bunny is “talented in singing and acting, all the things in between,” but that he was still the wrong choice for the Super Bowl.
“I think the NFL might have made a mistake making Bad Bunny the halftime Super Bowl show,” Lewan told host Kay Adams. “It should have been Taylor Swift. She has been integrating in this world of football. She’s been meshing two completely different cultures into one another.”
