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.

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.

'Ireland is ran by traitors': Steelers quarterback, disabled senior mugged in Dublin during NFL visit

A Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was allegedly mugged in Dublin before his team played in the NFL's first ever game in Ireland.

The Steelers played the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park early Sunday as part of the NFL's ongoing overseas showcases. The Steelers won 24-21, but neither their backup quarterback nor one of their dedicated fans were able to enjoy the game without experiencing all Dublin has to offer.

'GET THIS GOVERNMENT OUT NOW!'

The crimes happened within a couple miles of the stadium, with the Steelers quarterback getting attacked in the Temple Bar and Dame Street area.

Skylar Thompson — a 6'2", 219-pound veteran currently on injured reserve — was "jumped and robbed" late Friday night by what was described by the Irish Independent as "several men" who stole his phone.

Thompson suffered minor injuries and was allegedly brought to the hospital.

Irish police said they were on patrol on Dame Street in "the early hours of Saturday morning" when they "encountered a male who required medical assistance" at the scene.

Unfortunately for football fans, thugs were in the area after the game, as well, as a disabled elderly man was also robbed on Sunday night.

— (@)

According to another Irish report, a man named Gregory, who was in a wheelchair, stopped in the street to smoke a cigar in celebration of the Steelers' win. At that point, Gregory was robbed of his phone by a woman who attempted a quick getaway

Fortunately, members of the public alerted nearby police who were able to chase down the woman and return Gregory's phone. The woman was taken to a local police station and charged.

Gregory was reportedly robbed on O'Connell Street, which is even closer to the stadium than the area where Thompson was mugged.

These areas are known for crimes against foreigners and tourists, according to reports, particularly in the form of pickpocketing and robberies. Previous suspects have been described as young drug dealers and youth gangs.

Additionally, in 2024, a man named Mohamed Axmed was reportedly jailed for robbing two U.K. tourists in the same area.

— (@)

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor, who has aspirations of becoming the president of Ireland, quickly spoke out about Thompson's mugging.

"Let the World know! Ireland is ran by traitors to its people!" McGregor wrote on X, quoting comments about the story. "GET THIS GOVERNMENT OUT NOW!"

While Irish police confirmed "no formal complaint" over Thompson's situation was made, NFL reporter Tom Pelissero reported on comments from the Steelers' organization that seemingly confirmed the ordeal.

"Thompson, who is on injured reserve, suffered minor injuries but is OK and with the team," the reporter wrote on X. "Statement from Steelers Spokesman Burt Lauten: 'We are aware of a situation involving Skylar Thompson on Friday night in Dublin. We will have no further comment at this time as we are working with NFL security to gather more information regarding the incident.'"

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Anti-Trump artist Bad Bunny named Super Bowl halftime performer — immediately makes it political

Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny has been named as the next Super Bowl performer despite mocking the president just two months ago.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is known not only for music but outlandish outfits that often include dresses and women's clothing.

'... f**king ICE could be outside.'

The 31-year-old was named by the NFL as the performer for the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, which will take place on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Bad Bunny immediately declared the performance would be dedicated to his "people" and their history.

"What I'm feeling goes beyond myself," he said, per the NFL. "It's for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown ... this is for my people, my culture, and our history."

He finished by saying, in Spanish, "Go tell your grandma we're going to be the SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW."

The announcement comes after Bad Bunny mocked President Trump in July over his immigration policies.

Bad Bunny attending the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Photo by Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

In his music video for "NUEVAYoL," released on July 4, Bad Bunny not only draped a Puerto Rican flag over the Statue of Liberty, but he inserted a break in the video in order to play a parody of the president's voice.

"I made a mistake. I want to apologize to the immigrants in America," the Trump parody says over the radio. "I mean the United States. I know America is the whole continent."

The voice continues, "I want to say that this country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans."

The men listening to the radio seemingly disregard the message and turn it off.

At the beginning of September, the musician said he excluded the United States from his upcoming world tour because he feared Immigration and Customs Enforcement would raid his concerts.

Although there were "many reasons" he did not "show up in the U.S.," Bad Bunny explained, "there was the issue of — like, f**king ICE could be outside."

"And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about," he said, according to the Guardian.

Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.

The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.

Also, most of his songs… pic.twitter.com/s2KYRzev4b
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 29, 2025

In January, the artist revealed that he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election because he was offended by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally. Hinchcliffe joked that Puerto Rico was a floating island of garbage, a play on the fact that the territory has an extreme waste management issue.

"I can understand that it's a joke, but there's people that doesn't understand that it's a joke. People who are going to agree with that joke," Ocasio said at the time, per Yahoo.

Platinum recording artist Bruno Mars, who is part Puerto Rican, supported Bad Bunny with a post on X, quoting his words from the NFL press release while adding, "Go get em Bad Bunny!"

Rapper Jay-Z, who collaborates with the NFL for its halftime show through his company Roc Nation, called Bad Bunny "inspiring" for what he has done for Puerto Rico.

"We are honored to have him on the world's biggest stage," Jay-Z said.

Jon Barker, senior vice president of global event production for the NFL, added that Bad Bunny has a "unique ability to bridge genres, languages, and audiences," which makes him a "natural choice to take the Super Bowl halftime stage."

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Magazine MILKS Belichick-Hudson humiliation ritual

Bill Belichick has accomplished a lot in his football career, but now he’s added another completely different notch to his belt. That is, the North Carolina head coach has become the first coach ever featured on the cover of Us Weekly magazine with his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

And BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock does not believe it’s a good thing.

“I’ve heard of midlife crisis ... but on the cover of a magazine with your sugar baby? This, to me, this feels like some sort of ritual, humiliation ritual,” Whitlock says.

“And it couldn’t have come at a worse time,” BlazeTV contributor Steve Kim chimes in. “Look, I understand the way the media works a little bit, and I’m sure this cover was planned out months ago, but to come out on the same week after you get just blown away by USF and on a game day where, once again, she’s on the sideline before the game, I think that’s the greatest irony.”

And BlazeTV contributor T.J. Moe points out that it’s going even worse for Belichick than just poor optics.

“There’s a lawsuit right now going on. It got filed today, where one of the former administrators is suing UNC for hiring Belichick behind closed doors. This is how poorly this is going,” Moe explains.

“This is how upset UNC is right now with the hiring of Bill Belichick,” he says, noting, “and they’re embarrassed about it.”

“I don’t have another explanation other than he’s so tied up in this 24-year-old that he was willing to sacrifice his entire reputation and his life,” he adds.

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Every NFL team that did not honor Charlie Kirk DID honor George Floyd

NFL teams that were happy to go above and beyond to memorialize George Floyd after his death declined to honor Charlie Kirk after he was assassinated.

As Blaze News previously reported, at least five NFL teams did not honor Kirk in home games over the weekend, while others held moments of silence or displayed his image on their in-stadium screens. Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during a campus tour stop in Utah, with countless memorials being erected in his honor.

'Please do not mistake a lack of public commentary for indifference.'

The five teams that did not honor Kirk, however, did honor Floyd after his 2020 death while he was in police custody.

The Minnesota Vikings, for example, not only stood in unison to honor Floyd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (pictured below), but they hosted Floyd's family for the same game, their 2020 season opener against the Green Bay Packers. The team also pledged $5 million to "social justice," while planning a scholarship in Floyd's name.

The Vikings have not made a public statement about Kirk and did not return Blaze News' request for comment.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 13, 2020: Members of the Minnesota Vikings stand with arms linked as the team pays tribute to George Floyd before the game against the Green Bay Packers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

The Indianapolis Colts did not honor Kirk's death, but they did introduce measures to fight "racism and injustice" after Floyd died. The team also created a new staff position — director of diversity, equity, and inclusion — along with a scholarship fund.

"In addition to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, I have heard stunning testimonials from our players and staff about their personal experiences with racism," owner and CEO Jim Irsay said at the time.

In a comment to the Daily Mail, the Colts said the reason they did not honor Kirk was because they held a moment of silence for Forrest Lucas, the founder of Lucas Oil, who is the namesake of their stadium. The team said the honoring was planned last month when Mr. Lucas passed away.

The Cincinnati Bengals, who also have not honored or seemingly made any public statements about Kirk, were quick to squash any claims in 2020 that they did not have an opinion on Floyd's death.

The Bengals committed to "listening and action" and pledged $250,000 to "community initiatives."

"Please do not mistake a lack of public commentary for indifference," the team said in a statement. "The Bengals organization believes that fighting prejudice and discrimination requires action but to do so we have to listen first."

The Bengals did not return Blaze News' request for comment.

INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 27: George Floyd name displayed before the Los Angeles Chargers boycott scrimmage on August 27, 2020, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens held a moment of silence for Floyd in 2020 but not for Kirk in 2025. The team has not made any public statements about Kirk, either.

At the same time, though, star quarterback Lamar Jackson shared a post on X from former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith that said, "Celebrating the death of someone you don't share the same beliefs as is wild. Seeing it play out in real time is disgusting."

The Ravens did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

The Detroit Lions were the fifth team not to honor Kirk or give a public statement. However, in 2020, their statement about Floyd was adamant.

"Right is right and wrong is wrong. What is happening is not acceptable. We recognize that the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are only the most recent examples plaguing our communities," the franchise stated at the time.

The team vowed to engage in "real action and conversation" as well as "continue to LISTEN."

Blaze News was unable to reach the Lions for comment.

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Houston Texans hold moment of silence — but don't say Charlie Kirk's name

The Houston Texans gave a peculiar reason for why they chose not to honor Charlie Kirk before their "Monday Night Football" game.

Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 during a campus tour stop in Utah. The assassination sparked vigils and memorials across the world, and most NFL teams chose to honor Kirk over the weekend, with only five teams declining to do so.

'It's our hope that together, we condemn all forms of violence.'

Before losing 20-19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, the Texans announced a message over the public address system at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. At about 6:40 p.m., according to OutKick's Armando Salguero, the stadium paused for 10 seconds to honor victims of violence and destruction generically.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are asking all families to join us in a moment of silence to honor all the victims of violence and natural disasters across the country," the statement said, which was broadcast on ESPN. "It's our hope that together, we condemn all forms of violence. Thank you."

As KHOU-TV reported, the moment of silence did not mention Kirk. However, the franchise later offered an explanation for the omission.

"We held a moment of silence pregame to honor all victims of violence and natural disasters across the country," the team told OutKick in a statement.

The Texans added, "Unfortunately, there have been a number of recent tragedies, so we did not think it was appropriate to single any of them out and minimize the others that have occurred."

The team's inability to specifically mention Kirk was rare in that most teams did honor him, while the teams that did not declined to have a moment of silence altogether.

One team, however, that did happily put Kirk up on the big screen was the Dallas Cowboys, which scored easy marks with a classy comment from owner Jerry Jones.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

"We just all abhor violence. And it's impacting us all. And, certainly, we all stand together on any front, relative to the threat of violence," Jones said, per the Athletic's Jon Machota.

Jones added, "I was a young guy, but aware, in the '60s when we had huge violence, lost President Kennedy and his brother and many, many others, Martin Luther King. It's something that we all really need to just be aware of, support our law enforcement, and do everything we can to keep the violence in check."

The Green Bay Packers were the first to honor Kirk ahead of their "Thursday Night Football" game against the Washington Commanders at Lambeau Field.

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Radio host makes insane complaint about Charlie Kirk tributes at NFL games — but actual players disagree

Chicago radio personality Michael Baisden went on record to voice his displeasure with NFL tributes to Charlie Kirk over the weekend.

Kirk, a 31-year-old political commentator, was murdered at a university event in Utah on Sept. 10, leaving his wife, Erika, and two children behind.

The majority of home NFL teams honored Kirk with a moment of silence on Sunday, with the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings being the only teams that did not, according to the New York Post. Apparently, this was not enough for Baisden.

'Seeing it play out in real time is disgusting.'

Baisden's career in media has garnered him a massive following, including nearly four million followers on Facebook and about 530,000 on Instagram. On both pages, Baisden shared the following message.

"How do you feel about NFL teams honoring Charlie Kirk? Talk about a slap in the face of black players!" he wrote, alongside an image from AT&T Stadium that honored Kirk.

Baisden received a lot of support on his Instagram page, with many commentators referring to disgraced NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who kneeled during the national anthem in 2017.

"I stopped watching football when kneeling was a reprimanded offense," said one reader with a black-power fist as the display picture.

"No surprise there at all. The NFL support[s] racism and has for some time now," a bakery account wrote.

Like most, though, actual football players did not see Kirk as a racially divisive figure, nor did they see his murder as a cause for celebration or criticism.

"You don’t have to agree with Charlie Kirk or his views, but taking someone’s life over differences is never justified," said Joshua Hines-Allen, defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars. "The whole situation is tragic. Prayers and condolences to his family and loved ones," he wrote on X.

Dallas' own iconic former wide receiver Dez Bryant admitted on X that he was not familiar with Kirk when fans started asking him if posts he was making were in relation to the shooting. When one reader tried to say Bryant was supporting racism, Bryant rebuffed the claim and said, "Nobody deserves to die the way [that] man died."

Bryant later added, "Seeing people who are excited about Charlie Kirk dying are f**ked up human beings. ... Sending love to his family."

Two-time Super Bowl winner and former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith voiced a similar sentiment on X, saying, "Celebrating the death of someone you don't share the same beliefs as is wild."

"Seeing it play out in real time is disgusting," the broadcaster wrote; Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson shared the post.

— (@)

Three-time Super Bowl winner Julian Edelman, a former New England Patriots wide receiver, wrote on X that he is praying for the Kirk family.

"Violence like this is never acceptable," Edelman added.

Even polarizing announcer and former Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III said he was disgusted by what he was seeing online.

"Celebrating his death makes you a despicable human," Griffin wrote. Griffin also asked for prayers for Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, the woman who was murdered on a train in Charlotte.

Baisden now hosts a podcast under his own name while operating a dating and travel website called Mingle City.

The site boasts that Baisden was credited by former President Barack Obama's campaign with "being instrumental in his election and re-election," while also claiming Baisden was "the first and loudest national voice to sound the alarm on the Trayvon Martin killing!"

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Carolina Panthers fire employee for showing his true colors after Charlie Kirk's death

The Carolina Panthers football team has fired a public relations employee over his comments about Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday during a campus tour stop in Utah. Videos showed Kirk was shot in the neck in front of a large crowd of college students and attendees.

Despite an outpouring of positive support after the horrific killing, many people have taken the opportunity to criticize or insult Kirk online, including a Panthers employee.

'We do not condone violence of any kind.'

As reported by the Athletic, a communications coordinator named Charlie Rock was fired by the Panthers for his online commentary about the deceased conservative activist.

Rock apparently joined the organization as an intern in 2024 and was promoted to his now-former position.

Social media posts circulating online showed screenshots from Rock's Instagram account (which is now inactive), on which he posted a video of Kirk at a speaking event with the caption, "Why are yall sad? Your man said it was worth it …" referring to Kirk's death.

Rock's next post was the song "Protect Ya Neck" by Wu-Tang Clan, which could easily be interpreted as referring to Kirk being shot in the neck.

— (@)

The Athletic was able to confirm that the employee is no longer with the Panthers, but Rock did not respond to the outlet's request for comment.

The Panthers organization, on the other hand, released a general statement on Thursday morning without naming Rock.

"The views expressed by our employees are their own and do not represent those of the Carolina Panthers," the team's X post read. "We do not condone violence of any kind. We are taking this matter very seriously and have accordingly addressed it with the individual."

Charlie Kirk at Politicon 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Politicon

"Pro Football Talk's" Mike Florio shared the story and wrote, "In a civil society, we have disagreements. Those disagreements, however sharp and strong they might be, should never devolve into violence."

Florio added, "There is no room in the American experiment for political violence. For any type of violence. Violence should be condemned in all forms, by everyone."

The Panthers' next game is against the Arizona Cardinals. The teams play Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

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Bad Bunny gets the ball, football fans get the finger

'Ireland is ran by traitors': Steelers quarterback, disabled senior mugged in Dublin during NFL visit

The NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Pick Is As ‘Bad’ As It Gets

Anti-Trump artist Bad Bunny named Super Bowl halftime performer — immediately makes it political

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