According to multiple reports, the controversy erupted shortly after Bad Bunny’s halftime show went viral. His performance — featuring dancers dressed as referees and lyrics referencing “broken systems” — was hailed by fans as artistic and daring. However, many in the football community saw it as a direct jab at the league’s integrity.

James Franklin didn’t hold back. Speaking at a post-Super Bowl press conference the next morning, the Penn State coach slammed what he called the “Hollywoodization of football.”

“This game was built on grit, teamwork, and respect,” Franklin said, visibly frustrated. “What we saw last night wasn’t football — it was a spectacle that disrespected every player who’s ever shed blood on the field.”

His comments quickly lit up the internet. Within minutes, “James Franklin” became the #1 trending topic on X (formerly Twitter). Sports fans, music critics, and even fellow coaches jumped into the debate. Some praised Franklin for “standing up for tradition,” while others accused him of being “out of touch” with the evolving entertainment landscape.

Bad Bunny’s team responded only with a short statement:

“Art should challenge. Music should reflect life. We respect Coach Franklin’s passion for the game — and we stand by our performance.”

That single statement did little to calm the storm. Talk shows from ESPN to TMZ picked up the story. One viral clip showed Stephen A. Smith shouting on live television:

“This ain’t about football anymore — it’s about culture! It’s about who controls the spotlight on America’s biggest stage!”

Inside the Penn State locker room, sources said Franklin’s outburst was deeply personal. He reportedly told his players that the NFL had “forgotten what the game stands for.” One assistant coach said, “He was pacing the floor. You could see this wasn’t PR — it came from the heart.”

By Monday afternoon, fans were taking sides. Some Penn State alumni posted photos of Franklin with the caption “Our Coach. Our Voice.” Others mocked him with memes of Bad Bunny spiking a football in a disco outfit.

Meanwhile, the NFL tried to walk a delicate line. In an official statement, they wrote:

“The halftime show is a celebration of creativity and diversity. We respect all opinions and appreciate the passion football inspires.”

But behind the scenes, insiders say league executives were blindsided by the backlash. One anonymous source told The Athletic:

“No one expected this kind of cultural collision. It’s turned into a PR nightmare.”

As the tension grew, Franklin went even further. On Tuesday, he appeared on a Pennsylvania sports radio show and declared he would boycott all future Super Bowl events unless the NFL “re-evaluated its direction.”

“We’ve got to protect what makes football pure,” he said. “When halftime becomes more talked about than the championship, something’s wrong.”

His remarks ignited another firestorm online. Fans debated whether Franklin was a patriot protecting the sport’s legacy or an old-school coach unwilling to adapt to modern culture. One viral TikTok clip summed it up perfectly: “Bad Bunny broke the internet. Franklin broke the silence.”

Celebrities soon joined the conversation. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson tweeted, “Both sides have a point. The game is sacred — but art is freedom.” Even Taylor Swift liked a post saying, “This is the Super Bowl, not Sunday school. Let the artists be artists.”

By midweek, the controversy had taken on a life of its own. Franklin’s supporters launched an online petition urging the NFL to make future halftime shows “family-friendly and football-focused.” It gathered over 400,000 signatures in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s streams skyrocketed by 200%. The Puerto Rican superstar posted a cryptic Instagram story showing a football engulfed in flames with the caption, “Art always wins.”

As of today, neither Franklin nor the NFL has issued further comment. But one thing is certain — this Super Bowl will go down in history not for the score, but for the culture war it ignited.

For better or worse, America’s game just met America’s biggest star — and the collision was loud enough to shake both worlds.