NFL Players Give Mixed Reviews on Bad Bunny Halftime Show: ‘It Should Be an American’

A new survey of NFL players finds that only a slight majority approves of the league’s choice of rapper Bad Bunny to be its Super Bowl Halftime Show star.

Only a slight majority approved of the choice, according to The Athletic’s anonymous survey of players, Sports Illustrated reported.

According to the numbers, 58.6% of the 58 players approved of the selection of the anti-American Puerto Rican rapper, while 41.4% opposed it.

The top two reasons players opposed Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, were: A) they are unfamiliar with the rapper’s music, or B) they are more interested in a different artist.

The Athletic, though, added that some were very pointed in their criticism of the cross-dressing, anti-ICE rapper.

One NFC player said, “I do not like it. (I’d prefer) Anyone who’s synonymous with football and football culture. I feel like there’s tons of artists out there who are fans of the game.”

An AFC player insisted, “I think there are better examples of character and morality than Bad Bunny.”

Another NFC player explained, “I don’t even know who Bad Bunny is.” And added, “I always think it should be an American. I think they’re trying too hard with this international stuff.” (The rapper was born in Puerto Rico, which has been an American territory since 1917.)

The players were also asked who they think deserves to get a halftime show at the Super Bowl.

They variously picked Drake, Beyonce, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Creed, Justin Bieber, Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen.

Bad Bunny has proven to be a controversial choice for the Super Bowl. The announcement of this gender-bending artist was enough to send millions of fans to social media to blast the NFL for the invitation.

Despite the backlash, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has defended the rapper and even oddly claimed that the rapper’s show will “unite” America.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell insisted in the face of the backlash. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching… We’re confident it’s going to be a great show. He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

The Super Bowl is set for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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