Bad Bunny Was Always Projected to Win the Super Bowl

Bad Bunny Was Always Projected to Win the Super Bowl. Team Benito was awarded spectacle and earnest passion amidst a foreshadowed game and political diversions.

Weeks before the Super Bowl teams were determined, one team was already preparing: Team Benito. Bad Bunny fans took to TikTok when answering the question everyone has been asking for years: “who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?”. The content did not disappoint… from flags with his beautiful face on them, to Dominican spreads and buffets and Benito pre-planned concert clip marathons during the football gameplay, the signs of Bad Bunny’s triumph were there all along. Even though last year’s halftime show also made a splash amidst the Kendrick Lamar x Drake feud heating up online, and Kendrick’s ode to his America through the legendary set list and visuals, this year’s performance was rooted in unity rather than spectacle, with both artists ultimately making a beautifully bold statement at the games. 

It’s no secret that art has always been a mode of protest, and within the last few years of Trump’s run in America, things have gotten back to getting spicy on the field. It’s always been a common theme amongst these intermissions to the games, with performances like Michael Jackson’s 1993 halftime show to note. But what made this year different is that politicians fought back both proactively and following the games. By featuring symbols like the light blue Puerto Rican flag (associated with independence) and "ICE out" rhetoric, the performance tapped into a widespread public "horror and disgust" regarding immigration tactics, which some analysts believe could lead to a realignment in U.S. politics. This was met with a call from the House Republicans on the Federal Communications Commission to investigate Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance, suggesting the content and lyrics of the Puerto Rican star's show were "illegal.” If I’m not mistaken, it seems as though they were already holding grudges about invisible competition with pointless battle of the bands framing. Turns out America is in need of a Grammy-winning tune about family over a lip sync performance by Kid Rock that would’ve gotten him voted off this season of Rupaul’s Drag Race faster than DD Fuego (RIP </3). 

However if there is one thing we know about Team Benito it’s that their growing, loyal fanbase  are fed by resistance and deliciously punky bachata beats, so despite the baseless demand for investigations, Democratic leaders like Senator Patty Murray and Rep. Jim McGovern praised the show for its message of "unity and love over division”. Celebrities took to socials and award show press moments to praise Bad Bunny (who also was already a winner in his own right, bringing his fresh Grammy to the game in the most cinematic way possible). Apart from the worsening situations involving ICE and immigration blocking and abuse in the U.S. this year, it would seem to anyone (not just members of Team Benito) that many were just as startled by the artist’s stardom as they were his messaging and influence on the viewers of this year’s Super Bowl. But Bad Bunny (and many others) predicted this, stating to Billboard in the preparation of the event: “I’m just a normal guy that makes music”.

Speaking of views, Team Benito was not playing around when they said they were coming for one thing, and one thing only. While the Seattle Seahawks' 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots averaged 124.9 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital and NFL+, according to Nielsen's Big Data + Panel rating system (ESPN Reports),  Bad Bunny's halftime show averaged 128.2 million viewers from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m. ET. And for those pretending it didn’t happen… the All-American Halftime Show, headlined by Kid Rock, has just over 21 million views on YouTube. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s has more than 79 million views on YouTube and climbing. 

Even with the bizarre events that unfolded because of the Benito Bowl of 2026, some things never change, which is part of exactly what he meant to say in the finale of his performance in SoFi Stadium. Although there was no shortage of buffalo chicken dip and impulsive downloads of FanDuel this year, it is increasingly hard to play jovial about patriotism. For a country that seems divided every other day of the year, it was such a joy to root for a Super Bowl team that smartly addressed the nation, made us proud to be American, and even had us shaking some ass while shedding a few honest tears (thx Benito xx).