Carrie Underwood Debuts Energetic New “Sunday Night Football” Theme
Carrie Underwood is officially back for another NFL season, and this time she has given her iconic Sunday Night Football theme a fresh rock-inspired sound.
The country superstar debuted the new version of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” on Sunday, September 13, ahead of the first Sunday Night Football game of the 2026 regular season.
This marks Underwood’s 14th consecutive season as the voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football opening. She first took over the role in 2013 after Faith Hill’s run with the program.
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Carrie Underwood Gives the Theme a Rock Twist
For the 2026 season, Underwood and the Sunday Night Football team decided to take the iconic opening in a different direction.
The new version leans heavily into Underwood’s longtime love of rock music.
The original anthem is based on Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” and the new production embraces those rock roots with a more energetic presentation.
NBC creative director Tripp Dixon said the team drew inspiration from Underwood’s passion for rock music when creating this year’s opening.
The result is a version designed to feel bigger, louder and more like a rock performance.
A New Look for Sunday Night Football
The new opening also changes the visual presentation.
Instead of keeping Underwood in one setting, the production takes viewers through three different locations.
She performs in a recording studio, an intimate music venue and a packed stadium.
The combination gives the opening a concert-like feeling while still keeping the familiar Sunday Night Football identity.
Underwood previously described the new production as part of her “rock star fever dream” and said she loved the new version of the song.
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Fans Have Mixed Reactions
The new theme quickly sparked reactions from NFL and country music fans.
Some viewers loved the energetic new version and praised Underwood’s performance.
Others were less impressed with the remix, particularly the changes made to the music during the stadium scenes.
One fan called the performance “awesome,” while another praised Underwood but said the stadium remix did not work as well.
That mixed reaction is hardly surprising.
The Sunday Night Football opening has become one of the most recognizable parts of the NFL broadcast, and fans have grown accustomed to hearing Underwood’s voice at the start of Sunday night games.
Carrie Underwood’s Long NFL Run
Underwood’s relationship with Sunday Night Football has now lasted more than a decade.
During that time, the show has experimented with different versions of the theme. Underwood previously performed “Oh, Sunday Night” and “Game On” before returning to the familiar “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” format in 2019.
The 2026 version continues that tradition of changing the production while keeping Underwood at the center.
And with the country superstar now entering her 14th season, her voice has become almost inseparable from Sunday night football.
Whether fans love the new rock-inspired version or prefer the older arrangement, one thing is certain:
Carrie Underwood is still bringing the energy to Sunday night.
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