NEW ORLEANS — The Super Bowl LX halftime war just went full cowboy.
In a move that has NFL Twitter in flames and country music fans saddling up, Green Bay Packers President & CEO Ed Policy has officially petitioned the league to scrap Bad Bunny and install Texas legend George Strait as the 2026 halftime headliner at Caesars Superdome. The bombshell, dropped in a five-page letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell and copied to every owner, calls the current pop-reggaeton direction “a slap in the face to real American football fans” and demands “King George bring authentic country back to the biggest stage in sports.”
“It’s time to bring real American music back to the Super Bowl. George Strait is the heartbeat of this country — 60 No. 1 hits, 100 million records sold, and a cowboy hat that never lies. Bad Bunny? Great artist. Wrong stage. This is football, not Coachella.” — Ed Policy, Packers President, in the petition
Policy’s letter, leaked to ESPN Wednesday morning, has already garnered 1.8 million signatures on Change.org under #StraitToSuperBowl — including endorsements from Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Packers legend Brett Favre.
The Petition That Broke the Internet
| Demand | Reason |
|---|---|
| Replace Bad Bunny | “Reggaeton doesn’t belong at a game built on Friday Night Lights and tailgate anthems.” |
| Install George Strait | “68,000 fans singing ‘Amarillo by Morning’ in unison — that’s the America we celebrate.” |
| No More “Pop Experiments” | “We tried Kendrick, Rihanna, Usher — great. Now give us boots, not beats.” |
Policy even included a proposed setlist:
- Amarillo by Morning
- Check Yes or No
- The Chair
- I Cross My Heart (with surprise guest Morgan Wallen)
- Troubadour — closing with 76,000 lighters in the air
NFL’s Awkward Silence — And the Backlash
The league, already locked into a multi-year Roc Nation deal, responded with a tepid statement:
“We’re proud of our diverse halftime legacy. All options are evaluated annually.”
Translation: They’re sweating.
Bad Bunny’s team fired back on X:
“Music has no borders. Super Bowl is global. Respect the culture.” — 1.2M likes, but drowned by #StraitToSuperBowl (3.1M posts)
Country Royalty vs. Global Superstar
| Artist | Super Bowl Fit? | Fan Vote (X Poll) |
|---|---|---|
| George Strait | 100% cowboy boots, Texas proud | 78% |
| Bad Bunny | Reggaeton king, 45B Spotify streams | 22% |
George Jones’ widow Nancy tweeted:
“George would’ve loved this. King George deserves the crown.”
Morgan Wallen:
“I’ll open for the King. Let’s go, Ed!”
Packers Fans Mobilize — “This Is Our Fight”
- #StraitToSuperBowl — #1 worldwide, 3.1M posts
- Lambeau tailgate chant: “GEORGE! GEORGE! GEORGE!”
- Change.org petition: 2.4M signatures in 24 hours
- Meme of the Day: Bad Bunny in a cheesehead, captioned “When you realize the King is coming.”
One fan’s sign outside Lambeau:
“We survived 2–14. We can survive Bad Bunny. Give us Strait!”
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about music. It’s about identity.
The Super Bowl halftime show has evolved from Up with People to Beyoncé to Kendrick. But for millions of fans in flyover country, George Strait is the sound of Friday night lights, tailgates, and real America.
Ed Policy — a Wisconsin native who grew up on country radio — just became the voice of that America.
What Happens Next?
- NFL Owners Meeting: November 18 — halftime vote on the table
- Roc Nation Response: Expected Thursday
- Strait’s Camp: “George is honored. He’s ready if called.”
Ed Policy’s Final Shot
In a radio interview on WTMJ Milwaukee:
“This isn’t about hate. It’s about heart. George Strait is the heartbeat of football country. Let’s give the people what they want. Check yes or no.”
The NFL just got checkmated.
