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NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre joined the chorus of critics coming out against Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl — and even came to the table with a controversial alternative. Favre, 56, was asked who he would choose as Super Bowl halftime show performer, if given the chance, on the Monday, November 10, episode of his “4th and Favre” podcast. “Maybe Jason Aldean,” Favre suggested. “You know, someone who loves this country and that everyone can relate to. I think Jason Aldean right now is as big a patriot and has a great voice.” Aldean, 48, stirred backlash in 2023 with his song “Try That in a Small Town,” which was criticized for racist undertones with lyrics like, “Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk / Carjack an old lady at a red light / Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store / Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road / Around here, we take care of our own.” The music video for “Try That in a Small Town” was also filmed outside the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, where a Black teenager named Henry Choate was lynched in 1927. Aldean responded to the controversy on social media, writing via X, “There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it – and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage – and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music – this one goes too far.” Favre also advocated for country legend George Strait as a potential Super Bowl halftime show performer. “He may be like, ‘I ain’t doing that,’ even if they ask,” Favre said of Strait, 73. “But I don’t know how many No. 1s he’s had, but good lord. It’s enormous. I don’t think he’s ever done it, but that would be a pretty cool act to watch.” The NFL announced Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performer in September, which immediately drew strong reactions from many within the sports world. Former race car driver Danica Patrick was one of the first people to speak out against the Puerto Rican rapper getting the Super Bowl slot. “Oh fun,” Patrick, 42, wrote via X on September 29. “No songs in English should not be allowed at one of America’s highest rated television events of the year … not just for sports.” Patrick doubled down on her stance during an appearance on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast. “I don’t think it will be as much fun,” she said. “I don’t think it will be as uniting. What I would hate to see is that it would divide us again, in yet another way.” Bad Bunny’s selection has also been criticized by NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, who told TMZ in October, “I don’t even know who the hell the guy is.” President Donald Trump even weighed in on the decision during an appearance on Newsmax last month, calling it “ridiculous.” “I’ve never heard of him,” Trump said via phone. “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy.” Despite some uproar, Bad Bunny has also found passionate supporters like Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z and Shakira. Bad Bunny joked about all of the hubbub during his Saturday Night Live hosting gig in October, telling viewers they had “four months to learn” Spanish before Super Bowl LX goes down at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
