NFL legend Jason Kelce has been forced to deny making controversial comments about Bad Bunny that have spread across social media.
The Puerto Rican artist has been chosen to perform the halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl, a decision which has sparked a backlash from the likes of president Donald Trump.
Over recent days, comments – wrongly attributed to Kelce – have gone viral. He was accused of fanning the flames by hitting out at critics of Bad Bunny.
‘If Bad Bunny is a bad fit for the Super Bowl, then maybe the people making these comments are a bad fit for America’s future,’ read the quote.
But on Tuesday, Kelce – who in retirement serves as an NFL analyst on ESPN – took to X to clarify the situation.
‘I normally don’t comment on things like this, but I feel I need to address that there are a number of accounts posting fake quotes and attributing them to me on this platform right now,’ he wrote.
Jason Kelce has been forced to deny making controversial comments about Bad Bunny
The Puerto Rican singer has been chosen to perform the halftime show at the Super Bowl
‘I will not address the other accounts specifically, because I do not want to amplify their engagement. But please know, unless you hear something directly from me via one of my platforms, it is not real.’
Earlier this week, a petition was launched for country music legend George Strait to replace Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl amid fears the anti-Trump rapper will turn the halftime show into a ‘political stunt.’
Bad Bunny, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was controversially unveiled as the halftime act for Super Bowl LX in California last month.
MAGA commentators have hit out at the decision to hand the honor to the Puerto Rican, who recently refused to tour in the US over concerns that his shows would be targeted by ICE agents.
A number of NFL supporters want the NFL and Jay Z’s Roc Nation company – which has helped decide the Super Bowl halftime act since 2019 – to rethink their decision ahead of the end-of-season showpiece in February.
Trump also addressed the Bad Bunny controversy earlier this month, telling Newsmax: ‘I have never heard of him, I don’t know who he is, I don’t know why they’re doing it, it’s crazy… I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.’
The president’s ally Corey Lewandowski, meanwhile, previously called it ‘so shameful’ that ‘they picked someone who seems to hate America.’
Lewandowski also confirmed that ICE agents will be patrolling San Francisco during the Super Bowl.
Donald Trump called the decision to give the show to Bad Bunny ‘crazy’ and ‘ridiculous’
‘There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,’ he said. ‘Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find and deport you. That is a very real situation.’
Bad Bunny was recently the host of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and, during his opening monologue, the Puerto Rican addressed his haters.
‘You might not know this but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show and I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it – even Fox News,’ Bad Bunny said.
A heavily-edited clip then played, stitching together the comments of various Fox anchors and pundits so that they said: ‘Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.’
He continued: ‘Thank you. Wow, thank you. But really, I am very excited to be doing the Super Bowl and I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy.’
The rapper than spoke in Spanish for several seconds before finishing his monologue by saying: ‘If you did not understand what I just said… you have four months to learn!’
In the Spanish portion of his monologue, Bad Bunny took another shot at his critics and thanked those who paved the way for him.
‘Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors,’ he said.
‘It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.’
