Country music star Carrie Underwood delivered the opening performance for the 2026 season of Sunday Night Football on NBC, marking her 14th consecutive year performing the show’s iconic theme song. Underwood’s latest rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” featured a notably heavier rock orientation compared to previous versions.
The performance drew inspiration from Underwood’s well-documented passion for rock music. According to SNF’s creative director Tripp Dixon, this year’s creative direction intentionally embraced what he described as Carrie’s deep love of the genre. The theme, which samples Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ 1988 classic “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” perfectly aligned with Underwood’s musical sensibilities and artistic history.
The opening sequence featured Underwood performing across multiple settings, including an intimate club venue, a massive stadium, and a professional recording studio. Underwood herself characterized the production as welcoming football audiences into her “ongoing rock star fever dream.” The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants faced off in the season’s first matchup, with Underwood personalizing her weekly-rotating lyrics to reference both NFC East rivals.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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