Former Australian rugby league star and brief NFL player Jarryd Hayne has unleashed a scathing critique of Bad Bunny's headline performance at the Super Bowl LX halftime show. Hayne, who joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2015 after leaving the NRL, took to social media to express his strong disapproval of the Puerto Rican artist's controversial set.
Hayne's NFL Career and Halftime Reaction
Jarryd Hayne earned a spot on the 49ers' 53-man roster as a running back and return specialist in 2015, despite having limited American football experience. During his eight-game NFL stint, he recorded 52 rushing yards and 151 punt return yards before being released mid-season, ending his brief American football career. Watching the Seattle Seahawks' victory over the New England Patriots on Monday morning AEST, Hayne became incensed by the choice of halftime entertainment.
Controversial Performance Choices
Bad Bunny's selection as the Super Bowl LX halftime show headliner proved controversial for multiple reasons. The Spanish-language artist has outspoken political views, including criticism of US immigration policies and support for Puerto Rican identity. During his performance, Bad Bunny became the first entertainer to sing primarily in another language during the prestigious halftime spot, a decision that divided football fans across the globe.
Hayne specifically attacked Bad Bunny for wearing dresses and choosing to mostly sing in Spanish. 'I thought the blow up was because he wore dresses! But to think he only sang in Spanish is the biggest blunder in Super Bowl history, in my humble [opinion],' he posted on social media.
Political Backlash and Fan Division
The performance drew sharp rebukes from former President Donald Trump and conservative commentators who claimed Bad Bunny's show wasn't representative of 'American values' and objected to much of it being in Spanish. Trump took to his Truth Social platform soon after the performance, branding it one of the worst halftime shows ever aired.
'The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!' the former president wrote. 'It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn't represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.'
Hayne's followers were divided in their responses. While many backed his anger, numerous comments suggested the former footy star missed the point entirely. One respondent noted: 'People vibed to the Macarena without knowing the lyrics, they vibed to Gangnam Style without knowing the lyrics.' Another posted: 'Music transcends language. You don't need to understand the words to appreciate the message.'
Cultural Representation Debate
The debate intensified when a follower suggested that Bad Bunny could pave the way for a Pacific Islands entertainer to one day perform at the Super Bowl. 'When a Pacific Islander performs at the Super Bowl halftime show in the future we will thank Bad Bunny for paving the way for people from United States territories,' a follower posted, referencing American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as current US territories.
Hayne fired back: 'Has nothing to do with the Pacific Islands! It's an American sport!! What's next we gotta listen to Spanish commentators to be inclusive and not offend anyone!'
Conservative Counterprogramming
Turning Point USA staged its own 'All-American Halftime Show' as counterprogramming to the official Super Bowl LX halftime show. This alternative event aired on YouTube and other platforms simultaneously, featuring artists like Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
Trump's NFL History
Donald Trump's fraught relationship with the NFL stretches back more than forty years, beginning with his failed push to force a merger between the USFL and NFL in the 1980s and multiple unsuccessful attempts to buy an NFL franchise. The feud reignited during his presidency in 2017 when he attacked players kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
Hayne's Post-NFL Challenges
After returning to Australia following his NFL stint, Hayne's rugby league career failed to reach previous heights during stints at Parramatta and the Gold Coast Titans. His sporting career was then effectively stalled by long-running legal issues and incarceration.
Those legal battles included a protracted criminal case in Australia over an alleged 2018 sexual assault. After a hung jury and two convictions in NSW district court, the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his rape convictions in June 2024, and prosecutors ultimately dropped further criminal proceedings, leaving him without a conviction.
In the United States, Hayne faced a civil case regarding an alleged sexual assault from 2015 while in the NFL, which did not result in criminal charges. He later settled a related civil lawsuit in California in 2019 for an undisclosed sum.
Performance Reception
While Trump and conservatives attacked the halftime show, millions tuned in with floods of comments praising Bad Bunny for his messages of love and unity. The performance featured guest appearances including Lady Gaga, adding to the spectacle that captivated global audiences despite the controversy surrounding language and cultural representation.
