Bad Bunny has finally set the record straight about his Super Bowl halftime shirt. That mysterious “64” wasn’t a political statement or a nod to Puerto Rican history; it was actually an incredibly heartfelt tribute to his late uncle, Cutito, who passed away a few years ago, as reported by The Hill.
You’d think something that prominent would be a deep political message, especially given Bad Bunny’s history of activism, but it turns out the number was just pure family love. The artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, shared that he decided to honor his relative by putting his last name, OCASIO, and his birth year, 64, right on his chest. Bad Bunny explained that his uncle was the one who introduced him to the world of the NFL. He said his uncle was a massive 49ers fan.
“The little I know about the NFL is thanks to him,” the singer explained in a translated statement. The story of their relationship is really touching. His uncle “left for the United States at 17 to work and never returned to live in Puerto Rico, although he always visited us in late January or early February and stayed at our house.”
The powerful performance concluded with a strong message calling for Pan-American unity
That timing was absolutely perfect, the artist noted, because those visits coincided exactly with the NFL postseason. That meant he always got to watch the biggest games of the year with his uncle. Sadly, the two never got the chance to go to a game together before his uncle died suddenly. That’s why he made sure his uncle was present in spirit during the biggest performance of his life, despite the bizarre criticism it drew from President Trump.
“So, during my Super Bowl halftime show, I decided to have him on my shirt: OCASIO, his last name, the same as my mother’s, and his birth year, 64,” the artist continued. He made sure to dedicate the entire performance to him right before he even stepped on stage. “I’m sure he saw it, he was present, and he felt proud of his nephew.” Honestly, that’s truly a top-tier, emotional tribute, and it makes me love the performance even more.
Before the official word came out on Sunday, fans were running wild with ideas, trying to decode the number. Some thought the “64” referred to his mother’s birth year. Others went much further, guessing it was a reference to the 64th Congress, which passed an act granting Puerto Ricans citizenship over a century ago. It’s understandable why people jumped to those conclusions, but nope, it wasn’t either of those.
Funnily enough, the vice president of communications at the NFL, Brian McCarthy, had hinted at the connection the day after the show, though he slightly missed the mark. McCarthy suggested the uncle had been a player who wore the number 64 on his own team.
Published: Feb 11, 2026 02:00 pm