As the NFL season kicks off this year, fans will hear a familiar tune—Carrie Underwood’s “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night”—welcoming them to Sunday Night Football on NBC. This marks a solid 13-year run for the singer.
On July 30, it was made known that Underwood is set to bring her signature sports anthem back for this season’s Sunday broadcasts, starting September 7 with an exciting match between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. This year, she showcased the track during her residency at The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, a show that wrapped up in April.
Tripp Dixon, the creative director for the opener, shared how they plan to elevate the anthem experience. He stated, “For the 20th season of SNF, we’re revamping the anthem to match Carrie’s powerful vocals while mixing in dynamic visuals that capture the essence of Sunday Night Football—a tradition that gets bigger and better each week of fall.”
Reflecting on the experience, Carrie remarked, “We had such a great time shooting at The Resorts World Theatre again. Tripp and the creative team consistently bring incredible energy and visual flair that our audience expects every year. I can’t wait for everyone to see it!”
Since first stepping in as the vocal powerhouse for Sunday Night Football in 2013, Underwood has transformed the show’s theme into a fan-favorite. The song she covers was initially performed by Pink, then later by Faith Hill, before it found a home in Underwood’s capable hands, and is a fresh take on Joan Jett’s hit “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
This announcement comes right after Underwood’s first season as a judge on American Idol, where she took Katy Perry’s spot alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Her latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, made waves in 2022 by reaching No. 10 on the Billboard 200.
