Roger Goodell Suggests Bad Bunny Won't Use Super Bowl Stage For Activism

In the wake of Bad Bunny going off script from his music career to activism against ICE during the Grammy Awards, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suggested Monday that the artist understands the Super Bowl halftime stage is different than the Grammys and will use it to "bring people together."

"Listen, I think Bad Bunny – and I think that was demonstrated last night -- is one of the great artists in the world," Goodell said before a gathering of invited reporters at his so-called state of the league news conference. 

Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to the media at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Goodell: Platform Used To Unite

"And that's one of the reasons we chose him. But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on. This platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity and their talents. And to be able to use this moment to do that.

"And I think artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that, and he'll have a great performance."

So the NFL commissioner obviously isn't expecting Bad Bunny to go off an anti-ICE message during his show as he did on stage in his acceptance speech after he accepted his Grammy.

But the expectation is not an assurance. 

Goodell didn't go that far and wasn't asked because OutKick was not chosen from out of the group of about 15 journalists who asked Goodell about everything from the NFL's hiring practices, to the snub of Bill Belichick from the Hall of Fame, to the expansion of the NFL season to include 18 games and more international games.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Bad Bunny accepts the Best Música Urbana Album award onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Bad Bunny Agreement Prevents Activism?

One NFL source told OutKick that there is a clause in most NFL contracts with halftime show artists prohibiting using the time to make unapproved personal, political or other statements not having to do with the game or show.

That's exactly what Bad Bunny did at the Grammys: 

"Before I say thanks to God, I'm going to say ICE out," Bad Bunny said during his Grammy speech. 

And it should be noted that in 2020, Jennifer Lopez had a similar agreement and she included imagery interpreted as a statement on U.S. immigration policy. 

At the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020, Lopez and her team featured children in metal cages during part of her performance. Lopez later explained in the Halftime documentary on Netflix that she fought the NFL to keep that element, explicitly framing it as a commentary on immigration and saying she didn’t want it removed even though NFL officials raised concerns and were of the belief the images would not be used.

So, again, Goodell having confidence the Super Bowl LX halftime show won't turn into an anti-ICE protest is probably as much a hope as a certainty.

Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Recording artists Shakira (left) and Jennifer Lopez (right) perform at halftime in Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Federal Government Involvement Unchanged

Goodell, meanwhile, also suggested that federal agencies, including DHS which oversees ICE remains an NFL partner in this Super Bowl as in the past.

The commissioner said that Super Bowl LX continues to be a SEAR (Special Event Assessment Rating) I level event.

"Security is obviously one of the things we focus on the most," Goodell said. "…That involves unique assets at the federal level, state level, and local level all working together. I see no change in that. 

"In the preparation for this Super Bowl, we've not seen that in working with all three of those levels and doing everything we can to make sure it's a safe environment. And the federal government is a big part of that, including this administration and every other administration before that.

"I just anticipate we'll continue to do the work to make this a safe event."