Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), is facing renewed calls from MAGA-aligned and right-wing voices online to be fired, with critics claiming he has “ruined the NFL” in the aftermath of Super Bowl LX.
Why It Matters
Super Bowl LX was held on Sunday and included a halftime performance by Bad Bunny.
Bad Bunny—born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—recently won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. CBS News reported that his Super Bowl halftime show drew 135 million viewers, making it the most watched halftime performance on record.
The halftime appearance has fueled months of backlash from some conservative commentators, who object to Bad Bunny’s criticism of President Donald Trump, his comments about avoiding U.S. performances amid concerns over ICE raids, and the fact that his music is performed in Spanish. Some of the reaction has been criticized as racist in tone.
During the show, Bad Bunny performed with a billboard-style message reading: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Trump criticized the performance, calling it “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!”
As the backlash spread, Turning Point USA announced it would run its own alternative halftime show. The group’s concert featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett. Speaking on Fox News Sunday night, Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said the alternative show’s audience “blew our minds,” claiming more than 10 million concurrent viewers across the group’s social platforms—still far below the reported viewership for the official halftime performance.
What To Know
Online outrage intensified after a clip circulated showing Goodell and Bad Bunny embracing after the halftime show.
- X user @BasedBandita posted the clip and wrote that Goodell “NEEDS to be FIRED,” accusing him of “single handedly” ruining the league. The post has been viewed more than 475,000 times.
- Another user, @Chicago1Ray, who describes himself as “MAGA” in his profile, posted: “Time for Roger Goodell to lose his f’n job… Fire Roger Goodell,” a message viewed more than 90,000 times.
The criticism lands in a broader pattern of culture-war flashpoints involving the NFL, with some right-leaning commentators labeling the league “woke.” Past controversies have included disputes over pride flag displays and the performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” sometimes referred to as the Black national anthem.
Goodell previously defended the selection of Bad Bunny after the Grammys, calling him “one of the great artists in the world” and saying that was a key reason the league chose him.
Supporters of Goodell also point out that claims he has “ruined” the NFL are subjective. The league’s business performance has continued to grow: the NFL generated more than $23 billion in revenue in 2024, an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase. That pace would put the league ahead of the growth needed to meet Goodell’s long-stated goal of $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027, a target first introduced in 2010 when revenues were about $8 billion.
What Happens Next?
Online blowups and backlash are now a regular feature of major sporting events, but the practical impact can be harder to measure. For now, the dispute appears concentrated in social media commentary rather than any clear, immediate action by the league.
