If Super Bowl LX Week Is An Omen Of Things To Come, Game Day Could Be A Concern

SAN FRANCISCO – In presenting the coach of the year award during the NFL's signature Super Bowl week program, the NFL Honors, on Thursday, the presenter got Mike Vrabel's name wrong. Mike Verbal, she said. Same problem happened with NFL offensive player of the year Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Been A Terrible Week For NFL

Not a huge deal. 

The first-year New England Patriots coach and outstanding Seattle wide receiver still get their trophies and will be working on Sunday at the Super Bowl. But the nationally televised missteps were par for the course this Super Bowl Week. 

Because it's been messy. 

And if it is any sign of what is ahead, then Super Bowl LX is in trouble.

America generally wants the Super Bowl to be great because, dang it, it's our game on our special day, and it decides our national sport's champion. But the lead-up to this one has offered little by way of football, but plenty of trouble for the NFL.

Deep trouble.

It's been one controversy following another this week: Bad news in court filings, controversy about the Super Bowl halftime show, controversy about ICE enforcement around the week of activities and the game, bad news on the labor relations front, and the topper: An owner of one of the league's legacy teams appearing in the government's Jeffrey Epstein email dump and thus possibly becoming the subject of a league investigation.

(Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

Rough Super Bowl Week For NFL

This week has been like a carnival booth patrons visit for the privilege of throwing pies at a clown's face. And the NFL is the clown.

Let's recap the blitz of bad tidings:

The NFL learned this week that former coach Jon Gruden plans to summon as many as four and perhaps five owners in his ongoing case against the league related to his suit stemming from leaked emails that led to his ouster as Las Vegas Raiders coach. 

Gruden, who has beaten the NFL back in court multiple times as the league tries to move the case to closed-door arbitration hearings, plans to summon Raiders owner Mark Davis, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Bob Kraft, commissioner Roger Goodell and officials from other teams including the Giants, Seahawks, Jets and Dolphins.

His lawyers want to question these people in open court, which has the potential to be very, very, very embarrassing for the NFL. 

Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl LX Pregame + Apple Music Halftime Show Press Conference on February 5, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

Bad Bunny Shadow Looms Over NFL

That's the latest shot across the proverbial bow for the league. The first came on Sunday night at the Grammy Awards when Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny won an award and used his acceptance speech to deliver an "ICE-Out" message. 

And the NFL celebrated Bad Bunny after his divisive speech.

The next day, Goodell held his annual state of the NFL press conference. And we finally set sights on the coming game between the Patriots and Seahawks.

No, we didn't.

Goodell was peppered with questions about Bad Bunny, and the best he could do was suggest the halftime stage would be used to deliver songs and not an activist message that made half the country angry.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell poses for a photograph at San Jose Convention Center on Feb. 2, 2026 in San Jose, Calif. Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Giants Owner Tied To Epstein

Goodell was forced to answer for the league's owners hiring 10 coaches this cycle, and none of them black, which angered and frustrated the NFL media. Goodell hung his head and said more education and training for candidates, but also the league's owners and clubs is in order.

So, the NFL is perhaps headed toward an offseason of opening racial re-education camps.

Goodell touched on and continues to embrace expanding the NFL season to 18 games and wants to discuss that with NFL players union leadership. 

"Our members have no appetite for an 18-game regular-season," said union interim executive director David White on Tuesday. "The 18th game is not casual for us…"

Not casual is one thing, but the NFL is now dealing with a frankly sordid and scandalous situation in that emails released by the Justice Department show convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein connected New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch with numerous women.

Goodell said the NFL will "look at all the facts" to determine whether an investigation is warranted.

Not exactly the type of story the NFL wants to be addressing during Super Bowl week.

Belichick HOF Snub Stings

Even Thursday night's unveiling of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 came with controversy. 

Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri comprise a fine class. But the class doesn't include six-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Belichick, who was snubbed by voters.

So a fine class fails to become a great class.

It's been that type of week for the NFL.