NFL Controversy Erupts: Coach Mike Tomlin Openly Criticizes Bad Bunny’s Selection as Super Bowl Halftime Performer
Breaking the silence from one of the NFL’s most prominent coaches, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has publicly criticized the National Football League (NFL) for its decision to select Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny as the main performer at the 2026 Super Bowl LX halftime show. In a recent post-practice interview, Tomlin did not hesitate to express his disappointment, exclaiming, “Is this football or is this a circus?” The harsh words have thrown the NFL into turmoil, especially since Tomlin has threatened to pull the Steelers from the game if Bad Bunny is retained as the performer.
Background to the Fiery Debate
Super Bowl LX, scheduled to take place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, is consistently the biggest sporting event on the planet, attracting more than 100 million viewers worldwide. The halftime show – an integral part of the event – is typically produced by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation under an exclusive partnership agreement with the NFL since 2019. The decision to choose Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) as headliner, announced in late September 2025, marks the first time an artist has performed entirely in Spanish on this stage. It is also a historic step for Latino culture, especially when Bad Bunny proudly declared it “a victory for my people, our culture and our history”.
However, the choice quickly sparked a wave of backlash from conservatives, particularly the MAGA (Make America Great Again) community. Bad Bunny, an artist who has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump and his immigration policies, decided to skip the continental US dates of his 2025 world tour due to concerns about raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Those comments – which included his concerns about ICE targeting the predominantly Latino audience at his shows – were rehashed, turning Bad Bunny into a symbol of “woke” in the eyes of some. Right-wing commentators such as Benny Johnson, Greg Price and Jack Posobiec criticized the NFL on X (formerly Twitter), calling the decision “dark recruitment” or “anti-Trump”.
Against that backdrop, criticism from Mike Tomlin – a 17-season Steelers coach known for his “tough, no-holds-barred” style – has taken the debate to a new level. Tomlin, who led the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in 2009, has insisted that the halftime show should focus on sportsmanship rather than “far-fetched politics and entertainment.” He argues that the casting of Bad Bunny – who doesn’t sing in English and has a history of political performances (like a 2020 performance with J.Lo and Shakira, where they recreated images of children in cages to protest immigration policies) – is turning the Super Bowl into “a cultural celebration instead of a football game.”
Threats to Pull Out: Are the Steelers Really Pulling Out of the Super Bowl?
Tomlin’s threat to “pull the Steelers out of the game” is more than just rhetoric. In an emergency press conference today (October 1, 2025), he asserted: “If the NFL does not reconsider this decision, we will not participate. Football is about competition, not about stuffing political messages into halftime.” The words shocked NFL executives, who are trying to balance expanding their audience (including the growing Latino community) and avoiding political controversy. The Steelers, one of the most loyal fan bases in the league, could create huge financial losses if they do withdraw – estimated to be millions of dollars from tickets, advertising and television rights.
The NFL’s response has been muted so far, but insiders say Commissioner Roger Goodell is holding an emergency meeting with Jay-Z to assess the situation. Some Steelers players, like quarterback Russell Wilson, have voiced their support for Tomlin on social media, emphasizing the need to “keep the Super Bowl pure.” In contrast, other NFL stars like Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) praised Bad Bunny, calling him a “breakthrough artist” who could appeal to a younger generation.
Reactions From the Community and Stakeholders
The controversy quickly spread across social media, with the hashtags #SuperBowlCircus and #BadBunnySB trending globally. Bad Bunny’s supporters – including Latin artists like Rosalía and Residente – defended him by emphasizing the value of cultural diversity. California Governor Gavin Newsom even trolled critics on X: “Benny, calm down, we know you listen to Bad Bunny ”. ABC’s “The View” also dedicated a segment to praising the choice, calling it a “step forward for inclusion”.
However, the reaction from conservatives was more severe. Former President Trump retweeted a post criticizing the NFL for “betraying American fans”, while complaints were filed
