WHY MICHELE TAFOYA SNUBBED BAD BUNNY’S HALFTIME SHOW
Michele Tafoya traded the Super Bowl sidelines for a laundry room and a 2026 Senate run, skipping Bad Bunny's historic performance.
RQMichele Tafoya, once a familiar face on NFL sidelines and now a Republican Senate candidate in Minnesota, decided to make a little noise with her Super Bowl Sunday plans. Instead of tuning in like millions of others, she hopped on X to announce she’d skip the halftime show and fold laundry instead. She didn’t even try to hide it. “During halftime tonight, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before: fold laundry,” she posted.
So, while Tafoya was busy with her laundry, she missed what turned out to be a wild show. Bad Bunny—yeah, the Puerto Rican rapper everyone’s been talking about—put together a halftime spectacle full of energy. The stage was a masterpiece, and he brought out Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, just to keep things interesting. There was even a real wedding right there on stage. At one point, Bad Bunny’s message, “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love”, flashed across the jumbotron in big black-and-white letters. It was a clear call for unity among the Latin American diaspora.
Leading up to the big night, the NFL got plenty of flak for picking Bad Bunny as the headliner. But in the end, most people loved the show. Well, except Donald Trump—he made his complaints loud and clear.
Tafoya, for her part, stuck with her plan to skip the performance. Twelve seasons on the sidelines for NBC Sports didn’t keep her from switching things up. After leaving NBC in 2022, she dove headfirst into GOP politics, joining Kendall Qualls’ brief gubernatorial campaign almost immediately.
Now, she’s chasing a Senate seat of her own. She filed her paperwork last month, hoping to replace Senator Tina Smith, who’s stepping down. It’s a crowded race—Tafoya’s running against some big GOP names like Royce White and David Hann.
Meanwhile, back at the Super Bowl, the first half dragged. People needed something to wake them up, and Bad Bunny’s show did the trick. After halftime, the Seattle Seahawks came out swinging. They took control, forced three turnovers, and steamrolled the Patriots 29-13. It was sweet revenge for Seattle after that crushing loss in Super Bowl XLIX.
Funny enough, NBC broadcasted the game—the same network where Tafoya spent more than a decade covering the action. Now, she’s aiming for something bigger than the sideline.
SUPER BOWL CLASH: TOM BRADY VS DONALD TRUMP OVER BAD BUNNY’S WILD HALFTIME SHOW
Tom Brady and Donald Trump clash over Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Discover why Brady loved it while Trump called it an "affront."
Tom Brady and President Donald Trump aren’t seeing eye to eye when it comes to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.
On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, the Seahawks ran over the Patriots, rolling to a 29-13 win and taking home the Super Bowl LX trophy. Seattle’s defence was on another level, but let’s be honest, half the country was just waiting for the halftime show. Even after the cameras cut, people kept talking about it.
Bad Bunny, straight out of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, took the stage and immediately became the centre of attention. People had already been debating whether he should headline the show, and things got even louder after he called out ICE during his Grammy speech.
His performance was wild—Caribbean colours everywhere, surprise guests, and a clear nod to his roots. He didn’t hold back on the cultural flair. People loved it, and social media blew up with praise for his set.
Trump? Not a fan. He didn’t like the idea of Bad Bunny leading the show and made sure everyone knew it. Brady, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough. He even posted a video of Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga performing together, throwing in a big “Amazing!!!!!!!!!” for good measure.
The stage was packed. Ricky Martin, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Young Miko, and David Grutman—they all showed up. Even Alix Earle, who’s been linked to Brady lately, made an appearance.
Meanwhile, Trump hit Truth Social with a full-on rant. He slammed the halftime show, called it “one of the worst, EVER!” and said it was an “affront” to American greatness. He complained that nobody could understand Bad Bunny, called the dancing “disgusting”, and went off about the NFL’s new kickoff rule for good measure.
While all that was going down online, Bad Bunny took the field in all white, with his last name, “Ocasio”, and the number 64 on his jersey. He opened with “Tití Me Preguntó”, striding through a set designed to look like a Puerto Rican field. The show had mashups like “Café con Ron” and “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” and at one point, Bad Bunny spiked a football into the turf. Dancers waved flags from all over Latin America—Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, and more. Then Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga joined him, sending the energy through the roof. Fotos”,
INFIELD REINFORCEMENT: DISCOVER WHY THE YANKEES TRADED FOR ATHLETICS UTILITY MAN MAX SCHUEMANN
The Yankees acquired Max Schuemann from the Athletics for Luis Burgos, DFA-ing Yanquiel Fernandez to bolster infield depth for 2026.
Pitchers and catchers are almost back—less than a week now until spring training. But teams aren’t done tinkering. The Yankees just proved it, swinging a trade with the Athletics to shore up their infield depth.
According to Bob Nightengale from USA Today, the Yankees picked up infielder Max Schuemann from Oakland in exchange for righty Luis Burgos. To make room, they’ll designate Yanquiel Fernandez for assignment.
Schuemann used to be a top prospect with the A’s, but things haven’t really clicked for him in the majors. Oakland added Andy Ibáñez and bumped Schuemann off the roster, which is when the Yankees pounced. They’re not complaining; you can never have too much infield depth.
Schuemann’s time in the big leagues has been a mixed bag. He was No. 21 on Oakland’s prospect list heading into 2024 and finally broke through to the majors that year. In his rookie season, he played a whopping 133 games, hit .220, and posted a .619 OPS. Seven home runs, 34 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases—plus, he played everywhere in the infield except first base and catcher.
Things got rough last year, though. Schuemann’s bat cooled off—he slashed just .197/.295/.273 with two homers, 13 RBIs, seven steals, and a 0.2 bWAR. Again, he bounced all over the field, but the offence just wasn’t there. The thing is, his defence is solid—a plus-8 Outs Above Average kept him around for 101 games.
The Yankees need him to hit. The glove plays, no question, but he won’t crack the 26-man roster unless his bat picks up. Realistically, Schuemann probably starts the year in the minors.
Where does he fit in New York? The Yankees have no shortage of infielders. Jazz Chisholm, Jose Caballero, and Ryan McMahon are pencilled in as starters. Don’t forget Anthony Volpe—he’ll miss the start of the season, but Aaron Boone trusts him when he’s back.
Schuemann can handle the outfield, too, but the Yankees are loaded there. Judge, Bellinger, and Grisham—they’re not moving aside. A starting role at Yankee Stadium just isn’t in the cards for Schuemann.
Still, he’s got a shot at a bench job. With his versatility and strong glove, he could edge out some of New York’s other utility guys. Amed Rosario and Oswaldo Cabrera are in the mix as well, so it won’t be easy.
Bottom line: Schuemann will get his chance this spring. If he hits, he’s got a real shot at making the team. If not, well, there’s always room for solid defence and versatility, but he’ll have to earn it.