Bad Bunny gets the ball, football fans get the finger

Every February, the Super Bowl becomes more than a game. It’s a uniquely American spectacle — the moment when the world watches what we celebrate, what we believe, and who we are. The halftime show is not filler. It’s a centerpiece of that narrative, an opportunity to showcase unity, pride, and national identity.

That’s why the NFL’s decision to give this year’s stage to Bad Bunny is a disgrace. He isn’t just a pop star. He’s an artist who has vilified U.S. border enforcement and openly smeared ICE. Handing him the most symbolic stage in American culture doesn’t just miss the mark. It betrays the very values the Super Bowl is supposed to represent.

This isn’t a minor misstep. It’s a deliberate statement. Put an anti-ICE performer on America’s biggest cultural stage, and you endorse his hostility.

This isn’t about musical taste. It’s about message. In interviews, Bad Bunny admitted he skipped U.S. tour dates because he feared “f**king ICE could be outside [my concert].” He has filmed himself blasting ICE raids in Puerto Rico, cursing agents for doing their jobs. That isn’t subtle criticism of policy. That’s contempt for American law and the people sworn to enforce it.

And when the NFL hands him the halftime show, the league tells the world that contempt is acceptable — even worthy of reward. The institution that sells itself as America’s game is now propping up someone who spits on American institutions.

We don’t expect the halftime show to deliver a sermon. But we should expect performers who respect the country giving them the stage. Past acts at least tried. Bruce Springsteen gave us working-class grit. U2 turned a song into a national act of mourning after 9/11. Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, and the Rolling Stones bridged generations with rock. Even pop stars like Beyoncé, Garth Brooks, and Shania Twain managed to balance identity with national pride.

What they all shared was basic respect: They performed for Americans without tearing down the place that gave them that platform. The NFL’s choice this year shreds that tradition. It rewards an artist whose hostility to ICE has been central to his public image. It signals to others that the way to get the halftime show is to insult the country that made the stage matter in the first place.

And the excuse? “Global appeal.” But football doesn’t need imported validation. The NFL is already global because football is ours — our game, our culture, our spirit. We don’t sell the Super Bowl by erasing what makes America unique. We sell it by putting American values — freedom, family, and faith — at the forefront.

RELATED: Trump administration issues warning after Bad Bunny named to Super Bowl halftime show: ‘We will deport you’

Photo by Gladys Vega/Getty Images

If the NFL truly wanted broad appeal without controversy, the choices are obvious. Carrie Underwood could unify audiences across generations. Luke Combs or Chris Stapleton bring authenticity and humility. Bon Jovi, the Eagles, or Kenny Chesney can fill stadiums with American anthems. None of them tear down American law enforcement. None of them spark culture wars just by stepping on stage.

So my family will boycott the halftime show. We’ll refill our plates, toss a football in the yard, and talk about the game. Because we won’t sit quietly while the NFL hands America’s stage to someone who openly derides American sovereignty and law.

This isn’t a minor misstep. It’s a deliberate statement. Put an anti-ICE performer on America’s biggest cultural stage, and you endorse his hostility. The world will be watching. We can show them unity, strength, and pride. Or we can hand them a spectacle that undermines it.

We choose. My family has chosen. I hope many others will too.