The NFL Just Responded to Fans’ Plea for George Strait at the Super Bowl—and It’s Not What They Wanted to Hear. ML

Well, the people spoke, and the NFL just said no.

When news broke that Bad Bunny had been tapped for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, the reaction across America was fast, fiery, and in true country fashion, full of heart. Thousands of fans took to Change.org to demand a switch, signing a petition asking the league to replace the Puerto Rican superstar with none other than the King of Country himself, George Strait.

Within days, that petition racked up more than seventy-seven thousand signatures. Fans called for unity, tradition, and timeless American music to take center stage instead of what they called a political stunt. And honestly, can you blame them? For a show watched by over a hundred million people around the world, a George Strait performance would have been as American as it gets.

But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is not budging. At this week’s league meeting, he shot down the petition and confirmed that Bad Bunny will headline the halftime show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. And he did it with confidence.

“It is carefully thought through,” Goodell told reporters. “I am not sure we have ever selected an artist where we did not have some blowback or criticism. It is pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people watching.”

He is standing by the decision, no matter how loud the crowd gets.

The choice of Bad Bunny, a Grammy-winning artist known for hits sung mostly in Spanish, has not gone over easy with every NFL fan. Many longtime viewers see the Super Bowl halftime show as a symbol of American culture, not a showcase for artists who have little connection to the country’s musical roots. And when you have got a living legend like George Strait, who has scored sixty number-one hits and carried country music for over four decades, it is no surprise people wanted him to take the field.

The petition’s creator, Kar Shell, summed it up clearly by writing that Strait “embodies the heart and soul of American music” and that his “authentic and family-friendly performances” are exactly what the halftime show needs. Fans echoed that sentiment and flooded comment sections with messages like “We want country, not controversy” and “Put the King on the big stage.”

But Goodell has made it clear that the NFL wants global appeal and not just hometown pride. “He is one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” the commissioner said about Bad Bunny. “That is what we try to achieve. It is an important stage for us and an important element to the entertainment value.”

Even former President Donald Trump chimed in by calling the selection “ridiculous” and saying he had never even heard of Bad Bunny before. Goodell brushed off the criticism and said the performance will be exciting and a united moment.

That might be optimistic considering how many fans are still fuming. But there is no denying that the NFL has chosen spectacle over sentiment. Bad Bunny represents the league’s push to reach younger and more diverse audiences, while George Strait represents the soul of traditional American music. And at least for this Super Bowl, the NFL has decided to chase the world instead of celebrate home.

Still, you cannot help but imagine what it would have been like to see Strait standing at midfield with his hat tipped low and guitar in hand, crooning “The Chair” or “Amarillo by Morning” as fireworks lit up the sky. That would have been a show for the ages and one that every generation could agree on.

For now, though, country fans will have to settle for dreaming. The NFL might have turned the page, but George Strait remains the soundtrack of America, and no petition is required.