What To Know
- Carrie Underwood debuted a new rock-inspired Sunday Night Football opening song, replacing her long-running version of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”
- The new track is a reworked version of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
- Fan reactions on social media were mixed, with some criticizing the song and others expressing excitement and support for the fresh take.
Carrie Underwood debuted a new NBC Sunday Night Football opening song on Sunday, September 13 — and NFL fans were divided in their reactions.
On Sunday evening, the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants game kicked off at 8:20 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. And ahead of the match-up, Underwood revealed a completely different rock track for Sunday Night Football.
For the past 14 years, the American Idol Season 1 winner and current judge has performed the opening song “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” for the NBC program. Underwood switched things up for the 2026-27 NFL season, however, with a reworked version of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
“This year’s show open welcomes Sunday Night Football into my ongoing rock star fever dream,” Underwood said in a statement, per Rolling Stone. “I love this new version of the track and, once again, Tripp and 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 & roll. It’s one of my most favorite opens yet.”
NFL fans took to social media to share mixed reactions to Underwood’s new NBC Sunday Night Football opening song, with one X user declaring, “I’ve often wondered what the shriek of a banshee would sound like if it were real, then I heard Carrie Underwood sing the Sunday Night Football song, and it was probably just like that.”
Another viewer shared, “I’m glad Carrie Underwood gets paid a ton of money to sing the Sunday Night Football theme song because you couldn’t understand or hear one note she sang.”
Someone else echoed, “Carrie Underwood was fantastic for Sunday Night Football, but the theme song remix for the stadium overview isn’t that good!”
On Instagram, viewers were a bit more supportive, with one exclaiming, “Loved it,” alongside heart and fire emojis.
A different X user proclaimed, “She killed it!!!”
Meanwhile, yet another fan commented, “Just saw it. It’s awesome! We’re going to have a great FB season.”
What do you think of the new opening song?
