Bad Bunny Makes History, Seahawks Triumph, and America Watches
Date: February 8, 2026
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Final Score: Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13
THE GAME: SEAHAWKS CAPTURE SECOND LOMBARDI TROPHY
The Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, capturing their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Quarterback Sam Darnold led the Seahawks to victory, completing 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown, while Drake Maye threw for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two costly interceptions for the Patriots.
Running back Kenneth Walker III was instrumental in Seattle’s ground game, rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries. The Seahawks’ defense proved to be the difference-maker, forcing three turnovers including a crucial strip-sack by linebacker Derick Hall in the third quarter, followed by back-to-back interceptions by Uchenna Nwosu and Julian Love in the fourth quarter.
The game was notably low-scoring through the first half, standing at just 6-0 Seattle at halftime—making it one of the most boring first halves in Super Bowl history with not a single touchdown. The Seahawks broke the game open in the second half, dominating time of possession (33:11 to 26:49) and controlling the line of scrimmage.
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson scored a late fourth-quarter touchdown on a short shovel pass from Maye, but the two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Seattle with a comfortable 29-13 lead with just over two minutes remaining.
THE HALFTIME SHOW: BAD BUNNY MAKES HISTORY
A Cultural Milestone
Bad Bunny became the first Latino solo artist to headline the halftime show, as well as the first to perform almost entirely in Spanish. The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, broadcast on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and NFL+, represented a watershed moment for Latino representation in American popular culture.
The Performance
The Puerto Rican superstar, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, delivered a nearly 13-minute spectacle that transported viewers to Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny opened the performance with “Tití Me Preguntó” before transitioning to “Yo Perreo Sola”, wearing an all-white jersey-style outfit with “Ocasio” emblazoned on the back.
The stage design was a love letter to Puerto Rican culture, featuring:
– A recreated market set called “La Marqueta”
– Sugar cane fields
– Puerto Rican piraguas (shaved ice) stands
– A liquor store
– A barber shop
– Spanish wrestlers for choreography
– His signature “casita” stage from his 2025 Puerto Rico residency
Bad Bunny crashed through a roof mid-performance to transition into another stage scene without stopping the show, demonstrating the production’s technical ambition.
Star-Studded Guest Appearances
The performance featured an A-list roster of celebrity cameos:
Musical Guests:
– Lady Gaga – Performed a Latin-inspired salsa rendition of “Die with a Smile” and danced “Baile Inolvidable” with Bad Bunny
– Ricky Martin – Covered “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”
– Karol G – Colombian reggaeton star
– Cardi B – Hip-hop superstar
– Young Miko – Puerto Rican rapper
Celebrity Appearances:
– Pedro Pascal – “The Last of Us” and “The Mandalorian” star
– Jessica Alba – Actress and entrepreneur
– Ronald Acuña Jr. – Atlanta Braves right fielder
– Xander Zayas – Professional boxer
– Emiliano Vargas – Professional boxer
– Alix Earle – Social media influencer
– David Grutman – Hospitality entrepreneur
The Wedding That Made History
In perhaps the most unexpected moment of the night, a wedding staged during the halftime show was, in fact, a real ceremony, and that couple is now legitimately married. While their identities remain undisclosed, they now possess what may be the most epic wedding story ever told, having tied the knot during the Super Bowl halftime show as Lady Gaga sang “Die with a Smile.”
Messages of Unity and Love
Continuing his political activism, Bad Bunny sent a message of unity, yelling “God Bless America” and chanting the name of every country in the Americas as a billboard displayed, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love”. The show concluded with the celebratory “DTMF” (“Debí Tirar Más Fotos”), as the Puerto Rican flag waved proudly behind him.
In his opening remarks in Spanish, Bad Bunny declared: “My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. If I am here today at Super Bowl 60, it is because I never, ever stopped believing in myself.”
Historic Multilingual Accessibility
In a historic first, the halftime show included a multilingual signing program featuring Puerto Rican Sign Language, led by interpreter Celimar Rivera Cosme, who had also interpreted for Bad Bunny’s landmark Puerto Rico residency in 2025 that drew over half a million fans.
THE CONTROVERSY: POLITICS MEETS SPORTS
Political Backlash
Bad Bunny’s selection as halftime performer sparked intense political debate in the months leading up to the Super Bowl. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson described him as a “massive Trump hater” and “anti-ICE activist”, and criticized that he primarily performs in Spanish.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson noted Bad Bunny’s niche audience and lack of crossover appeal to the critical mass of Americans that watch the Super Bowl halftime, suggesting Lee Greenwood as an alternative.
Counter-Programming
Conservative organization Turning Point USA announced that it intended to set up its own halftime musical performance as counterprogramming, with conservative musician Kid Rock announced as the headliner on February 4, 2026. This “All-American” halftime show aired on far-right media platforms as an alternative to Bad Bunny’s performance.
White House Response
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made clear the administration’s preference: “I think the president would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny. I must say that.”
In response to the controversy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that ICE agents would be present at the Super Bowl.
Trump’s Post-Show Reaction
President Donald Trump called the performance “one of the worst ever” on Truth Social, writing: “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This ‘Show’ is just a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country.”
NFL’s Defense
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stood firmly behind the selection. Goodell dismissed criticism of the selection as typical for an event of its caliber and rejected calls to change the artists in an October 22 press conference, stating it had been “carefully thought through” and that the selection was an intentional effort to cater to a global audience.
On February 2, Goodell reiterated: “Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world and that’s one of the reasons we chose him.”
Jay-Z dismissed the opposition to the selection as astroturfing, saying “They love him. Don’t let them fool you”.
Support and Celebration
California Governor Gavin Newsom was “excited” to welcome Bad Bunny to the state, and declared February 8, 2026, as Bad Bunny Day to commemorate the performance.
Celebrities who expressed support included Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Shakira, and Jelly Roll. The performance came just days after Bad Bunny made history at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” became the first fully Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year.
SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS
The performance generated massive reactions across social media platforms:
NFL Stars Weigh In:
Former NFL star JJ Watt tweeted: “Did I understand a single word of it? I did not. Was it a vibe? It was”.
Former NFL cornerback Chris Harris Jr. tweeted: “I didn’t know one song lol”
NBA star Jalen Brunson praised the show, as did numerous other athletes and entertainers.
The NFL’s Official Response:
The NFL’s social media accounts celebrated the performance with multiple posts:
– “BAD BUNNY! Tití Me Preguntó”
– “Yo Perreo Sola Bad Bunny”
– “ICONIC”
The NFL quickly showed strong support for Bad Bunny after his headline halftime show at Super Bowl LX, sharing a series of reaction videos and captions celebrating the global superstar’s performance.
THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
Latino Economic Power
According to research from UCLA and the Latino Donor Collaborative, U.S. Latino GDP reached $4.1 trillion in 2023. Latino consumers rank as the world’s fifth-largest economy if measured independently with Latino purchasing power reaching $4.1 trillion. A 2025 McKinsey report projected that Latinos would account for one-third of total U.S. sports market growth by 2035.
Historic Spanish-Language Broadcast
Super Bowl LX featured the broadest Spanish-language broadcast distribution in Super Bowl history, with both Fox Deportes and Telemundo producing separate Spanish-language coverage of the game.
Bad Bunny’s Message
Before the show, Bad Bunny emphasized inclusivity: “People only have to worry about dance. They don’t even have to learn Spanish. It’s better if they learn to dance. There’s no better dance than the one that can come from the heart … that’s the only thing they need to worry about, to have fun and enjoy, and of course, choose your team at the game.”
PRE-GAME PERFORMANCES
Green Day’s Political Statement
Green Day, which has its roots in the Bay Area, performed before the game to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl. The band, vocal critics of the Trump administration, performed their hit “American Idiot,” appearing to ignore broadcast standards by singing the lyrics “the subliminal mind-fuck America” as written, though NBC censors garbled the audio.
Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong promised the band would “Get loud!”
Other Pre-Game Performers
– Charlie Puth – National Anthem
– Coco Jones – “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
– Brandi Carlile – Kickoff performance
– Fred Beam – National anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in American Sign Language
– Julian Ortiz – “America the Beautiful” in ASL
THE COMMERCIALS: A STAR-STUDDED SPECTACLE
NBC sold out of ad inventory at an average of $8 million per 30-second spot, with as many as 10 ad slots selling for more than $10 million each.
Top Celebrity Commercials
“Good Will Dunkin'” – Dunkin’ Donuts
Ben Affleck reunited with his “Good Will Hunting” co-stars in a brilliantly dopey reimagining of the 1997 film as a ’90s sitcom jammed with hokey catchphrases. The ad featured Jason Alexander, Matt LeBlanc, and Jennifer Aniston, spoofing the classic film in comedy form with Tom Brady making a cameo.
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor” – Rocket & Redfin
An emotional, politically relevant commercial showed two families, one white and one Latino, living next to each other who get off on the wrong foot. After the former family’s dog runs off in a storm, the latter family finds and returns the beleaguered pooch, resulting in hugs, tears and camaraderie. The ad featured Lady Gaga singing an impassioned yet understated version of Fred Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” The slogan: “America could use a neighbor.”
Amazon Alexa – “AI Horror”
Chris Hemsworth starred in a nearly two-minute horror-comedy where he becomes convinced that the new Alexa+ AI device is plotting to kill him, only for it to prove more helpful than murderous.
UberEats – “Foodball Conspiracy”
Philadelphia Eagles fan Bradley Cooper battled Matthew McConaughey, who compared every football landmark to a food appliance or utensil like the Field Goal marker and a fork. Parker Posey also made a cameo, with Addison Rae sipping Diet Pepsi in a surprise appearance.
Hellmann’s – “Meal Diamond”
Andy Samberg killed it as a deli-haunting cryptid in this delightfully bizarre commercial, transforming into “Meal Diamond” and belting out a rendition of “Sweet Caroline” that gets increasingly unhinged. Co-starring Elle Fanning.
Pringles – “Love at First Bite”
Sabrina Carpenter starred in a cheeky, campy spot imagining her in a storybook romance with a man made entirely out of Pringles chips.
Instacart – “Bananas”
Directed by Spike Jonze, the ad featured Ben Stiller and Benson Boone as a European techno-disco duo battling over Instacart’s banana-picking feature, complete with Boone nailing a signature backflip.
Pokémon 30th Anniversary
A yearlong campaign featuring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Jisoo, Trevor Noah, Charles Leclerc, Lamine Yamal, Young Miko, and Lady Gaga, with Gaga lending her vocals to Jigglypuff’s theme song.
Budweiser – “American Icons”
Celebrating 150 years, the 60-second ad followed a Budweiser Clydesdale foal befriending a fallen bald eagle chick, set to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”
Bud Light – “Keg Chase”
Post Malone, Shane Gillis, and Peyton Manning starred in a chaotic wedding scene chasing a runaway Bud Light keg downhill.
Wegovy
The GLP-1 brand recruited Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, Danielle Brooks, Danny Trejo and more to advertise the medication in pill form, with John C. Reilly and Ana Gasteyer also appearing.
TurboTax – “The Expert”
Oscar-winner Adrien Brody portrayed an actor trying to bring drama while filming a tax commercial, storming off set saying “If there’s no drama, there’s no Adrien Brody.”
GrubHub
George Clooney starred in GrubHub’s first-ever Super Bowl ad, announcing the company’s new policy of no delivery and service fees on restaurant orders over $50.
T-Mobile
The Backstreet Boys promoted T-Mobile with Machine Gun Kelly making a cameo.
Fanatics Sportsbook
Kendall Jenner leaned into the “Kardashian Curse” meme, joking about betting on outcomes linked to her dating history.
Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola
Directed by Taika Waititi, a polar bear rediscovered himself after a blind taste test, selecting Pepsi as the winner and visiting Waititi for a shrink session.
DoorDash
50 Cent gave lessons in “beefing,” taking shots at Sean “Diddy” Combs, Ja Rule, and Floyd Mayweather.
Squarespace
Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos collaborated on a stunning artistic spot.
Hims & Hers
Narrated by rapper Common, the commercial took a dark turn, dramatizing how proactive healthcare depends on wealth while the ultra-rich live forever and regular people “get left to rot.”
Michelob Ultra
Kurt Russell and Lewis Pullman starred in a snow-soaked skiing tribute directed by Joseph Kosinski, featuring Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim and former NHL star T.J. Oshie.
Tree Hut
Riffed on the iconic “1984” Apple commercial.
Skittles
Elijah Wood transformed into a Skittles-producing woodland fairy creature.
Oakley Meta AI Glasses
Marshawn Lynch, iShowSpeed, and Spike Lee showcased the hands-free filming capabilities.
Nerds Candy
Andy Cohen helped the lovable Gummy character prepare for its red-carpet debut.
AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
If you didn’t know before Super Bowl LX that 2026 is America’s 250th anniversary, the Big Game made sure to weave the event into every part of the game. The players wore a “USA 250” patch embroidered into their jerseys, and the coin-toss participants sought to capture the past, present, and future of the NFL.
VIEWERSHIP AND BROADCAST
The game was broadcast on:
– NBC (traditional broadcast)
– Peacock (streaming with exclusive ads)
– Telemundo (Spanish-language coverage)
– Fox Deportes (Spanish-language coverage)
– NFL+ (streaming)
Peacock viewers saw streaming-specific commercials, marking the continued growth of digital advertising during the Super Bowl.
POST-GAME ANALYSIS
The Performance’s Legacy
Bad Bunny’s performance will be remembered as:
1. The first primarily Spanish-language Super Bowl halftime show
2. A celebration of Latino culture on America’s biggest stage
3. A politically charged yet ultimately joyful cultural moment
4. One of the most diverse and inclusive halftime shows in history
5. A real wedding venue (possibly the first in Super Bowl history)
Critical Reception
While conservative critics panned the show, most sports and entertainment figures praised it:
– NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: “One of the great artists in the world”
– JJ Watt: Despite not understanding the words, called it “a vibe”
– The NFL’s official social media: “ICONIC”
– Deadline: “Tan condenadamente bueno!” (So damn good!)
– Esquire: “A show so celebratory of his career and his impact on music”
The show’s message—”The only thing more powerful than hate is love”—resonated with millions while sparking fierce debate about representation, language, and American identity.
The Game’s Significance
For the Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl LX represented redemption and the continuation of their championship legacy. Sam Darnold, once considered a draft bust, led his team to the promised land. The Patriots, despite Drake Maye’s valiant effort, fell short in their first Super Bowl appearance since the Tom Brady era.
BY THE NUMBERS
Game Statistics:
– Final Score: Seahawks 29, Patriots 13
– Total Yards: Seahawks 335, Patriots 331
– Turnovers: Seahawks 0, Patriots 3
– Time of Possession: Seahawks 33:11, Patriots 26:49
– Halftime Score: Seahawks 6, Patriots 0 (no touchdowns)
Halftime Show:
– Duration: Nearly 13 minutes
– Languages: Primarily Spanish (with some English)
– Musical Guests: 3 (Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Karol G)
– Celebrity Cameos: 9+ (including Pascal, Alba, Cardi B)
– Real Weddings: 1
– Puerto Rican flags: Countless
– Historic Firsts: First Latino solo headliner, first primarily Spanish-language show, first multilingual signing program
Commercial Statistics:
– Average 30-second spot: $8 million
– Premium spots: $10+ million (10 slots)
– Major celebrity appearances: 50+
– Brands featured: 60+
Cultural Impact:
– U.S. Latino GDP: $4.1 trillion
– Bad Bunny’s recent Grammy wins: 3 (including Album of the Year)
– States declaring “Bad Bunny Day”: 1 (California)
– Counter-programming events: 1 (Turning Point USA)
– Presidential Truth Social posts about the halftime show: At least 1
WHAT THEY SAID
Bad Bunny (before the show):
“This is for my people, my culture, and our history.”
Bad Bunny (during the show, in Spanish):
“My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. If I am here today at Super Bowl 60, it is because I never, ever stopped believing in myself.”
Roger Goodell:
“Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world and that’s one of the reasons we chose him. That’s what we try to achieve—catering to a global audience.”
Jay-Z:
“They love him. Don’t let them fool you.”
President Trump:
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!”
JJ Watt:
“Did I understand a single word of it? I did not. Was it a vibe? It was.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom:
“Excited to welcome Bad Bunny to the state.”
CONCLUSION: A SUPER BOWL FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Super Bowl LX will be remembered not just for the Seahawks’ dominant victory, but for the cultural battle that played out before, during, and after the game. Bad Bunny’s historic halftime performance—the first by a Latino solo artist, performed primarily in Spanish, featuring a real wedding, and celebrating Puerto Rican culture—represented a seismic shift in American popular culture.
Whether you loved it or hated it, agreed with it or opposed it, Super Bowl LX 2026 was undeniably historic. In a nation celebrating its 250th anniversary, the show sparked essential conversations about identity, representation, language, and what it means to be American in 2026.
The Seahawks won the game. Bad Bunny won the cultural moment. And America—all of America, in all its diversity and division—watched.
As the Puerto Rican flag waved at Levi’s Stadium and the message “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” illuminated the jumbotron, Super Bowl LX became more than a football game. It became a mirror reflecting contemporary America—complicated, contested, and ultimately, unforgettable.
Final Score: Seahawks 29, Patriots 13
Cultural Impact: Immeasurable
Debates Sparked: Countless
History Made: Undeniable
Article compiled from multiple sources including ESPN, CBS News, NBC, Deadline, Billboard, Wikipedia, and various news outlets. Published February 9, 2026.
