How NFL players really feel about Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl

Bad Bunny’s presence at the Super Bowl is stirring debate well beyond the field. An anonymous survey conducted by The Athletic found that NFL players are sharply divided over the Puerto Rican superstar’s prominence at the biggest sporting event in the United States, underscoring how cultural change inside the league remains a live issue.

With the Super Bowl just days away, the NFL once again finds itself at the center of a broader cultural conversation. According to The Athletic, the sports arm of The New York Times, active players were asked anonymously about Bad Bunny’s role in the halftime show. The results reveal a league split not by on-field rivalries, but by differing views on music, identity, and the NFL’s global ambitions.

Survey results highlight a narrow divide

The survey shows that 58.6 percent of respondents support Bad Bunny’s involvement in the Super Bowl, while 41.4 percent oppose it. The close margin reflects a tension between a league pushing to expand its global reach and a segment of its players who remain cautious about how far that evolution should go.

For supporters, Bad Bunny’s popularity and cultural reach were the most common arguments in his favor. One player, speaking anonymously, praised the artist’s appeal and success.

“I think it’s pretty awesome,” the player said. “Some of his music is really good. I heard his music all the time, and it’s a bop. He’s got some good music, so I’m excited for that.”

To many players, having an artist who connects with younger and international audiences adds value to an event that aims to remain relevant far beyond the United States.

Halftime show seen as a generational draw

Another anonymous response took a lighter, more generational tone.

“Heck yeah,” the player said. “It’s going to be a good time. The girls like Bad Bunny, so of course, we’re going to like it.”

Comments like these reflect how the halftime show is no longer viewed as a sideshow. For many fans and players alike, it is a core part of the Super Bowl’s cultural and media impact.

Traditionalists push back against Bad Bunny

Not everyone is on board. Some players expressed discomfort with both the artist and the league’s broader direction.

“I don’t even know who Bad Bunny is,” one player admitted. “I always think it should be an American. I think they’re trying too hard with this international stuff.”

That perspective echoes a more traditional view of the Super Bowl as a celebration rooted exclusively in American sports culture, rather than a global entertainment platform.

NFL playing on a global stage

For the NFL, however, international expansion has been a long-term priority. Regular-season games abroad, record-breaking global TV audiences, and halftime shows featuring worldwide stars are all part of a strategy designed to push the league beyond U.S. borders.

In that context, selecting Bad Bunny fits squarely into the NFL’s vision, even if it does not earn unanimous approval from the players who take the field every Sunday.

Once again, the Super Bowl is not only decided between the lines. It is also contested in the cultural arena, where music, identity, and the league’s evolving role continue to spark debate. In an era where entertainment and politics often intersect, placing an artist like Bad Bunny at the center of the halftime show sends a powerful message about where the NFL sees itself heading.

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