The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl halftime headline performer, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, reaffirming a decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage that led to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.

Goodell addressed the Bad Bunny controversy at his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. It is the first time he has commented on the move announced in late September that garnered worldwide attention, including an increase in streams of Bad Bunny’s music, along with backlash.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”

The 31-year-old born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has been vocal in his opposition to Trump and his policies. He decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding stops in the mainland U.S., citing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.

He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.

“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” Goodell said, acknowledging there could be more talent added to the lineup along with Bad Bunny. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made appearing in person at major sporting events a significant part of his second term in the White House.

Trump in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Goodell defended the decision on Wednesday, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”

Echoing what senior VP of football operations Troy Vincent said Tuesday, Goodell said there has not been much discussion about the tush push quarterback sneak since an effort to ban it narrowly failed to pass in the spring.

Vincent said the primary concern is how tough it is to officiate the maneuver that the Philadelphia Eagles have successfully executed so often. It was not on the formal agenda at this meeting, though owners did get an update on penalties and other football matters.

“It’s something we will continue to monitor on all phases, just like we do every other aspect of the game,” Goodell said. “We don’t have any proposals to bring it back up. It wouldn’t surprise me if something does evolve. But it’s not something we’re really focused on during the season.”

Asked about replay reviews and the length of time they are taking, Goodell said game times are actually down through the first seven weeks compared to last season, despite a surge in kick returns after an adjustment was made to the so-called dynamic kickoff.

“That’s quite remarkable when you add the number of kickoffs,” Goodell said. “You’re going to get more fouls. You’re going to get different sets of fouls. You’re going to have a little bit (more) length of the game.”

Goodell said he had breakfast with interim Players Association executive director David White before one of the league’s international games this season but expects any talk about a move to an 18-game regular season and other collective bargaining discussions to wait until the union chooses its long-term leader.

The current CBA runs through the 2031 league year. White told The Associated Press last month that an 18-game season was not inevitable.

“The negotiations will be a lot more than just simply the 18 and two (exhibition games),” Goodell said. “There are a lot of issues that we are going to raise and I’m certain that the players will raise, and that’s what it should be. That’s what collective bargaining is all about. They’re going to need time to make sure that they’re prepared, that they’re ready for the negotiations (and) they have their priorities straight, and then we can begin negotiations.”

Goodell said work is being done to choose sites for the Super Bowl to cap the 2028 and ’29 seasons and expects an announcement on those next year.

Demi Moore recalled stepping away from spotlight after heartbreaking losses.

In a recent chat with Glamour, the 62-year-old actress recalled a time when her life took a turn after the passing of her mother and her marriage ended.

“Well, it was a realization after striving, working hard, having the good fortune of certain films, having really enormous success, and that [was] able to keep me moving forward and giving me even greater opportunities.”

Moore admitted that it was a time of realization that fame and success weren’t truly fulfilling and she took a break to focus on her kids.

She went on to say, “And then certain personal things happen. My mother died, my marriage ended and I stepped back from work to be with my kids and there was a moment I realized that my own success — which had been a real driving thrust, a real motivation — wasn’t enough.”

The actress revealed that after years of hard work and success, she needed to reconnect with her purpose and find meaning in life again.

“I had to reconnect with what moved me — why was I really doing this? We know that outside success is never the answer. And so I think recalibrating took me quite a while to really find the place in me that felt that what I had to offer from my inside was worthy of striving to do meaningful work,” she added.

Prince Louis is unlikely ever to hold the title Duke of York, a royal commentator has predicted. 

According to GB News, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told the People’s Channel that the title’s association with Prince Andrew, who recently surrendered the use of his royal titles amid renewed scrutiny of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, makes it “too soon” for another royal to inherit it. 

“Certain titles are identified with their holders, maybe unfairly,” Fitzwilliams said. 

“We are in an age where instant information is available, and Duke of York rings alarm bells worldwide.” 

Traditionally, the title has been granted to the sovereign’s second son since the 15th century. 

Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, was the Duke of York before ascending the throne, and Prince Andrew received it upon his marriage in 1986. 

However, Fitzwilliams believes that, following years of damaging headlines and Andrew’s infamous 2019 BBC interview with Emily Maitlis, “there probably will never be another Duke of York.” 

He compared the situation to the Duke of Windsor title, which was retired following King Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936. 

When Prince Andrew dies, the title is expected to revert to the Crown, potentially remaining dormant for generations.