John Sutcliffe and Bad Bunny Credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / @ESPNmx on X
By Sam Neumann on

John Sutcliffe had tears in his eyes Sunday night as he described what Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show meant to Latino viewers at home.

The ESPN Deportes reporter addressed Spanish-speaking viewers after Bad Bunny’s 14-minute performance at Levi’s Stadium, which was performed almost entirely in Spanish and featured guest appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.

Sutcliffe told viewers they should feel “proud” that the Puerto Rican superstar delivered his message of unity on America’s biggest stage.

“The message Bunny sent, whether you like his music or not, was with love, culture, and affection,” Sutcliffe said in Spanish, according to a translation by The Daily Beast. “If you are in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, wherever, it’s OK to have a tear in your eye and feel proud that Benito sang in Spanish at America’s biggest celebration. Long live Bad Bunny.”

Bad Bunny’s performance came after months of backlash from conservative media and Republican officials who criticized the NFL for selecting the first primarily Spanish-language solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.

Turning Point USA organized an alternative “All-American Halftime Show” in response, billing it as “an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom.” The pre-recorded broadcast featured performances from Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, leaning heavily into themes of Americana, religion, and conservative politics. Kid Rock also appeared to lip-sync part of his set, and the show itself faced rollout and distribution issues leading up to halftime. Several Nashville bars, including Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk & Steakhouse, switched channels during Bad Bunny’s performance to air the Turning Point USA alternative.

Bad Bunny used the halftime show to celebrate Puerto Rico and the Americas more broadly. He spiked a football bearing the message “Together, We Are America” and ended his performance singing in front of a billboard that read “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” He declared “God bless America” in English before listing countries from North, Central, and South America and leading a procession of dancers carrying the respective flags of more than 30 nations.

The NFL stuck with Bad Bunny despite pressure to change course. At least one owner expressed concern to Roger Goodell that the selection could threaten the league’s ESPN equity deal, according to ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler, but the league never wavered.

Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most-streamed artist in 2025 with nearly 20 billion streams. He won Album of the Year at the Grammys last week, the first entirely Spanish-language album to win the honor. He’s performed at a Super Bowl halftime show before, appearing alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020. The NFL selected him because he helps achieve a stated business objective: to grow the league’s international and Latino audiences.

Sutcliffe’s reaction captured what that selection meant for viewers who’ve rarely seen themselves represented at this level on American television. Bad Bunny didn’t compromise. He didn’t perform in English to make it easier for viewers who don’t speak Spanish. He celebrated his culture, his language, and his heritage before the largest audience in American sports.

Sutcliffe told viewers it’s OK to cry about that. He was crying himself.

The Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 to win their second Super Bowl. Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries. But for millions of Latino viewers watching at home, the game was secondary to what happened at halftime.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann