Whether the backlash will have a material impact remains to be seen. Boycotts have been threatened before with little effect on the NFL’s staggering ratings. But the noise itself serves a purpose. It solidifies the battle lines, reinforcing the idea for millions that their cultural territory is under siege. Pete Hegseth has not manufactured a controversy; he has simply given a voice to a deep-seated anxiety that has been simmering for years.

As the countdown to 2026 begins, the performance itself is almost secondary. The Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show has already succeeded in becoming what it was likely intended to be: the center of the cultural conversation. The irony is that by trying to create a moment of global unity, the NFL has provided the perfect stage to showcase America’s profound disunity. The lights will come up, the music will play, but millions will be watching two entirely different shows.