Carrie Underwood’s Status As Sunday Night Football Opener Confirmed After 14 Seasons
on Aug 04, 2026 • Updated Aug 04, 2026
In 2013, Carrie Underwood started singing the opening theme for Sunday Night Football. Every year since then, sports fans have watched Underwood kick off SNF with unique and often elaborate performances of the theme song.
But is she returning to the role for the 2026-2027 NFL season?
On Tuesday (August 4th), PEOPLE confirmed Underwood’s status as the SNF opener. She will return for her 14th season!
That season starts on Sunday, September 13th, when the Dallas Cowboys play against the New York Giants.
Underwood teased what fans can expect from her performance this year, saying:
“This year’s show open welcomes Sunday Night Football into my ongoing rock star fever dream.”
Underwood continued to say how much she loves the new version of the theme:
“…the incredible team behind the camera brought it to life in a whole new way that captures the spirit of this iconic song and the heart of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s one of my most favorite opens yet!”
Carrie Underwood to Star in NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ Show Open for the 14th Consecutive Season (Exclusive) https://t.co/5ppGDncywW
— People (@people) August 4, 2026
RELATED: CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S FIRST CONCERT WAS AN ALAN JACKSON SHOW…SHE JUST SANG AT HIS LAST
A press release cited by PEOPLE states that Underwood’s new SNF opener will include scenes in a recording studio, a small venue, and a stadium.
The Sunday Night Football Theme Has A Rockstar History That Carrie Underwood Is Excited To Embrace
The longtime theme of Sunday Night Football has been “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.” The song is set to the tune of Joan Jett and The Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” and has been performed by artists such as Pink and Faith Hill.
Carrie Underwood took over singing the theme in 2013. She performed “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” for a few years before introducing an entirely new theme in 2016. That song, titled “Oh, Sunday Night,” was set to the tune of her hit duet with Miranda Lambert, “Somethin’ Bad.”
Underwood performed “Oh, Sunday Night” for two seasons before recording another theme, titled “Game On,” for 2018-2019.
She resumed singing “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” for the 2019-2020 season. That season’s recording brought things full circle by featuring Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
Underwood has performed a version of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” every year since. As the press release mentioned, this season’s rendition will lean further into its rock and roll roots, with creative director Tripp Dixon saying:
“This season, we’ve drawn inspiration from Carrie’s deep, well-documented love of rock music – a perfect fit since our Sunday Night Football anthem was born from pure rock ‘n’ roll…”
Dixon added, “We’ve worked to match these two rock frequencies of past and present as they come together in Carrie’s high-energy performance. The greatest players and teams in the NFL will take it from there.”
SNF often shares a teaser of the season’s theme before it debuts on opening night, so stay tuned!
