Matthew Stafford Defends Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Performance: "Music Should Bring Us All Together"

As the countdown to Super Bowl 2026 continues, the announcement of Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny as the halftime show headliner has ignited passionate debates across the sports and music worlds. While some critics, including former racecar driver Danica Patrick, have voiced concerns over the artist’s performance in Spanish, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is among those stepping up in defense of Bad Bunny, emphasizing the unifying power of music and its ability to transcend boundaries.

Bad Bunny, who has become a global icon, is set to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February 2026. However, his inclusion has been met with criticism from some quarters. Patrick, known for her outspoken views, recently expressed her belief that songs in Spanish shouldn’t be part of the Super Bowl, one of the highest-rated television events in America. “No songs in English should be allowed at one of America’s highest-rated television events of the year,” Patrick tweeted, including an eye-rolling emoji. She also shared a video accusing Bad Bunny of being a “demonic Marxist,” a comment that quickly drew backlash from fans and celebrities alike.

In response, Stafford, who is known for his leadership and thoughtful approach both on and off the field, defended Bad Bunny’s performance, pointing to the universal nature of music. "Music has always been about connection," Stafford stated. "It’s about bringing people together, not dividing them. Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl isn’t just for people who speak Spanish—it’s for everyone. It’s about celebrating culture, celebrating music, and showing that even though we come from different backgrounds, we can all be united by the power of music."

Stafford further emphasized that the Super Bowl is a global event, watched by millions around the world, and it should reflect the diversity of its audience. “The Super Bowl is not just for one group of people, it’s for everyone. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the diverse cultures that make up this country and the world. Bad Bunny is bringing his culture to a stage that reaches people everywhere, and that’s something we should embrace,” Stafford added.

The debate surrounding Bad Bunny’s performance intensified when the artist revealed that he would avoid performing in the continental U.S. during his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, citing concerns about the political climate and the increase in ICE activity under the previous administration. Despite this, the Super Bowl remains an exception, offering Bad Bunny the chance to perform on one of the biggest stages in the world.

For Stafford, the focus should remain on the true essence of music—the ability to unite and connect people, no matter where they come from. "At the end of the day, music speaks to everyone, regardless of the language it’s in," Stafford concluded. "Bad Bunny’s performance is a celebration of who he is, where he comes from, and the culture he represents. That’s something that should be respected. It’s a chance to bring people together through music, and that’s what the Super Bowl is all about."

As Super Bowl 2026 approaches, Stafford’s comments highlight the importance of inclusivity and unity, reminding fans that music should be a unifying force, helping bridge cultural divides rather than creating them. With his defense of Bad Bunny, Stafford encourages everyone to celebrate diversity and recognize the powerful role music plays in bringing people from all walks of life together.

Washington Capitals reveal their Opening Night roster for 2025-26 NHL season

The Washington Capitals finalized their Opening Night roster for the 2025-26 season on Monday.

All 32 NHL teams were required to submit their 23-man groups by a 5 pm deadline. The Capitals begin their season at home against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.

To start the year, the team’s roster will consist of 13 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders.

Capitals Opening Night roster

Forwards

8 Alex Ovechkin
9 Ryan Leonard
15 Sonny Milano

17 Dylan Strome
21 Aliaksei Protas
22 Brandon Duhaime
24 Connor McMichael
26 Nic Dowd
29 Hendrix Lapierre
34 Justin Sourdif
43 Tom Wilson
72 Anthony Beauvillier
80 Pierre-Luc Dubois

Defensemen

2 Vincent Iorio
3 Matt Roy
6 Jakob Chychrun
38 Rasmus Sandin
42 Martin Fehervary
47 Declan Chisholm
52 Dylan McIlrath (injured reserve)
57 Trevor van Riemsdyk
74 John Carlson

Goaltenders

48 Logan Thompson
79 Charlie Lindgren

Alex Ovechkin, just three goals shy of 900 in his career, will lead the team into the 2025-26 campaign, his 21st season in the NHL and 17th as the Capitals’ captain. He’ll be joined by John Carlson and Tom Wilson as the team’s primary leadership group under the guidance of third-year bench boss and reigning coach of the year, Spencer Carbery.

The lone newcomers from last year’s Capitals team are forward Justin Sourdif and Declan Chisholm. Both players were acquired via trade over the offseason, with Sourdif expected to play a bottom-six role up front and Chisholm penciled in as the club’s seventh defenseman.

Vincent Iorio makes the team out of camp for the first time since he was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Iorio sticks with the team this fall, likely due to Dylan McIlrath suffering a lower-body injury in the Capitals’ preseason finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets. McIlrath was placed on injured reserve shortly before the roster was announced.

The other races for the final spots on the team were won by Hendrix Lapierre and Sonny Milano. The two had very strong preseasons, combining for 13 points (5g, 8a), leading to Lapierre retaking the third-line center spot he lost midway through last season and Milano getting another chance to impress after an injury-filled 2024-25 campaign.

In addition to placing McIlrath on injured reserve, the Capitals also loaned Ivan Miroshnichenko to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. He joined Clay Stevenson and Ethen Frank as the final cuts from the training camp roster.

Here is the Capitals’ full press release:

Capitals Announce 2025-26 Opening Night Roster

Caps host the Boston Bruins in season opener at Capital One Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have announced the 23 players who will make up the team’s roster for the season opener versus the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m., senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today.

Thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders make up the Capitals’ opening night roster, led by captain Alex Ovechkin, who enters his 21st season, and alternate captains John Carlson and Tom Wilson.

Wednesday’s season opener marks the start of the Capitals’ 51st season. The Capitals enter 2025-26 looking to make the playoffs for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons and the 35th time in franchise history. Since 2007-08, no team has made the playoffs more than Washington (16 playoff appearances in 18 seasons). In addition, The Capitals will also look to defend their Metropolitan Division title in 2025-26. Last season’s first-place finish marked Washington’s 14th division title in franchise history and 11th since 2007-08. The Capitals’ 11 division titles since 2007-08 are the most in the NHL, with the next closest teams having six division titles in the 18-year span (Boston and Vancouver, six each). It also marked the Capitals’ sixth Metropolitan Division title since the division was formed in 2013-14. No other Metro team has won more than two division titles in that time.

Eighteen players from this season’s opening night roster also made Washington’s opening night roster a year ago, which clinched the Eastern Conference’s top seed and finished with the second-best record in the NHL. Washington’s top eight goal scorers and top nine-point producers from a season ago are all expected to be back in the fold, as well as the team’s top six defensemen and both goaltenders.

Alex Ovechkin, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Sept. 17, scored 44 goals in 65 games last season to pass Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goals leader. Ovechkin (897g-726a–1,623p in 1,491 GP) enters the season three goals shy of becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 career goals and nine games shy of becoming the eighth player to play 1,500 games with one franchise. In addition, Ovechkin (1,623 points) needs 19 points to pass Joe Sakic (1,641 points) for 10th place on the NHL’s all-time points list.

Tom Wilson is entering his 13th season with the Capitals, making him Washington’s D.C.’s third-longest tenured athlete, behind only teammates Alex Ovechkin (21 seasons) and John Carlson (17 seasons). Last season, Wilson set career highs in goals (33), assists (32) and points (65). Wilson’s 33 goals ranked second on Washington, trailing only Alex Ovechkin (44g), and were the most by a Capital other than Ovechkin since T.J. Oshie scored 33 goals in 2016-17. Wilson also netted a career-best 11 power-play goals and six game-winning goals. The 6’4”, 225-pound forward led the Capitals and ranked 15th in the NHL in hits (233), making him the only player in the NHL with 30-plus goals and 200-plus hits.

Dylan Strome, Washington’s points leader in each of the last two seasons, recorded 82 points (29g, 53a) in 82 games in 2024-25 and established career highs in goals, assists and points. It marked the third straight season Strome set a new career high in points. The 28-year-old center became just the fifth Capital to record an 80-point season since 2001-02, joining Nicklas Backstrom (3x), Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin (10x) and Alexander Semin. Since joining Washington ahead of the 2022-23 season, Strome ranks first on the Capitals in games played (245), assists (135) and points (214) and second in goals (79).

Pierre-Luc Dubois enters his second season in Washington. Dubois’ first season as a Capital was the most productive of his career as he established career highs in assists (46) and points (66) and reached the 20-goal mark for the fifth time in eight years. Dubois ranked tied for second on Washington in assists, tied for third in points and tied for sixth in goals. In addition, the 6’4”, 220-pound center ranked first on the team in primary assists (29), second in even-strength points (52), five-on-five points (46) and plus-minus (+27) and sixth in game-winning goals (4). Dubois became the fourth player since 2010-11 to reach the 50-point mark in their first season with the Capitals, joining Dylan Strome (65 points in 2022-23), T.J. Oshie (51 points in 2015-16) and Justin Williams (52 points in 2015-16).

Last season, Capitals defensemen combined for 200 points (38g, 162a), which was the fourth-highest total in the NHL. Six Capitals defensemen reached the 20-point mark in 2024-25, marking the first time in franchise history the team had had six blueliners with 20 or more points in the same season. The same six defensemen also appeared in 65 or more games. Only once in franchise history has Washington had six defensemen play 65-plus games during a regular season and then have all six return the following season (1995-96 to 1996-97: Sylvain Cote, Calle Johansson, Joe Reekie, Sergei Gonchar, Mark Tinordi & Ken Klee).

The Capitals acquired forward Justin Sourdif and defenseman Declan Chisholm in June to help round out their roster. Sourdif, 23, recorded 34 points (16g, 18a) in 43 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2024-25. The 5’11”, 181-pound forward ranked fifth on Charlotte in goals and sixth in points despite appearing in just 43 games. During Charlotte’s run to the Calder Cup Finals last season, Sourdif ranked third on the team in scoring with 10 points (4g, 10a) in 18 postseason contests and tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (2). Four of Sourdif’s 10 points came in the Calder Cup Finals. Sourdif, who was originally drafted by Florida in the third round (87th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, scored his first career NHL goal in his lone appearance with the Panthers in 2024-25 on Feb. 25. Chisholm, 25, recorded 12 points (2g, 10a) in 66 games with the Minnesota Wild last season. The 6’1”, 190-pound defenseman established single-season career highs in assists, points, games played and shots on goal (69) in 2024-25.

Reigning Jack Adams Award winner Spencer Carbery enters his third season behind the Capitals bench. Carbery, who owns a 91-53-20 record (.616 point percentage) through two seasons, can become the 21st head coach in NHL history to reach the 100-win mark in 180 games or fewer. Carbery guided the Capitals to a record of 51-22-9 (111 points) in 2024-25, as the team finished first in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference and second in the NHL. The Capitals improved by 20 points in Carbery’s second season (2023-24: 40-31-11, 91 points), which marked the third-largest point improvement by a team from 2023-24 to 2024-25 (Columbus: +23; Anaheim: +21).

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