Fans Are Demanding George Strait for the Halftime Show—And the NFL’s Response Just Changed Everything. ML
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has quashed speculation that Bad Bunny could be dropped as next year’s Super Bowl halftime performer, despite an online petition calling for the Latin superstar to be replaced by country artist George Strait.
Appearing before The Associated Press and other outlets at a news conference Wednesday, Goodell acknowledged the pushback the choice of Bad Bunny has received, but nonetheless said the NFL was “confident it’s going to be a great show.”
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“It’s carefully thought through,” he said. “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.”
He went on to note: “He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world. That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”
Goodell also suggested Bad Bunny, who has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigrants, would steer clear of overt political statements while at the Super Bowl.
“He understands the platform that he’s on,” he said, “and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”
Goodell’s remarks come roughly a week after the appearance of an online petition calling for the NFL to replace Bad Bunny with Strait as the 2026 halftime headliner.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the petition had received more than 70,000 signatures. Its creator, identified on Change.org as Kar Shell of Texas, said Strait “embodies the heart and soul of American music,” and also praised the musician’s “ability to transcend generations with his timeless songs.”
“The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt,” the petition ― addressed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, which has produced the show every year since 2019, as well as Goodell and the NFL at large ― reads. “Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage.”
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It continues: “Again, George Strait embodies unity, tradition, and the timeless American music that truly deserves the 2026 Super Bowl spotlight.”
The NFL’s selection of Bad Bunny, a three-time Grammy winner from Puerto Rico who performs predominantly in Spanish, has angered many conservatives. Strait, meanwhile, was handpicked by Trump as one of this year’s Kennedy Center honorees.
Those who opt out of Bad Bunny’s performance already have an alternative. Turning Point USA, the right-wing political group founded by slain activist Charlie Kirk, has announced plans to stage the “All American Halftime Show,” which will compete with the big-game broadcast on NBC.
Performers for the “All American Halftime Show” have not yet been confirmed, though the MAGA-themed event’s website makes no secret of its intent by asking visitors to vote in favor of “anything in English.”
