Carrie Underwood will perform NBC's Sunday Night Football open for a 14th consecutive season, Taste of Country reported on August 4, citing People's initial report. This year's version reworks Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' "I Hate Myself for Loving You" into the show's recurring theme, "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night."
Underwood called this year's open "one of my most favorite opens yet," joking that it continues her ongoing rock star fever dream. The visuals are expected to include shots from a recording studio and a small venue alongside Underwood performing inside a stadium, with the full open debuting at the NFL's 2026 kickoff game on NBC and Peacock.
Underwood took over the Sunday Night Football open from Faith Hill, who held the job for six seasons after Pink first sang the theme in 2006. Underwood has occasionally reworked the song for the occasion, once turning her Miranda Lambert duet "Something Bad" into "Oh Sunday Night," and recording an original, "Game On," for another season; for the NFL's 100th anniversary in 2019 she brought Jett herself out to sing it with her.
The gig sits alongside Underwood's other TV work: she has served on the American Idol judging panel since March 2025 and has not yet said whether she will return for a third season. The theme lands in our country coverage of her year.
The facts
- Underwood performs the NBC Sunday Night Football open for a 14th season
- This year's version reworks Joan Jett's I Hate Myself for Loving You
- The reworked song is the show's Waiting All Day for Sunday Night theme
- She took over the gig from Faith Hill, who held it for six seasons
- Pink first sang the SNF theme in 2006
- Joan Jett joined Underwood to sing it for the NFL's 100th anniversary in 2019
- Underwood has served on the American Idol judging panel since March 2025
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