NFL viewers react to Underwood’s new opening
Carrie Underwood returned for her 14th consecutive season as the voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football opening. The 2026 production brought a fresh rock-inspired look.
The new opening debuted before the Cowboys-Giants matchup on Sept. 13, featuring Underwood across several settings. The updated visuals quickly became part of the season’s opening-night conversation.
NBC debuts the new opening before Cowboys-Giants
NBC debuted the 2026 Sunday Night Football show open before the Dallas Cowboys visited the New York Giants on Sept. 13. The Cowboys-Giants game kicked off at 8:20 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The new opening was part of NBC’s 21st consecutive season of NFL coverage. It also marked Underwood’s 14th consecutive season performing the program’s opening.
Carrie Underwood continues her long-running role
Carrie Underwood has performed the Sunday Night Football opening since 2013. Her 2026 appearance marked her 14th consecutive season as the program’s featured singer.
NBC announced the continuation in August, ahead of the new season. The network has used Underwood’s opening performance as a regular part of its Sunday night NFL presentation throughout her tenure.
The theme keeps its Joan Jett connection
The 2026 theme remains connected to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” NBC’s football anthem adapts the song’s music with football-focused lyrics and the title “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”
Underwood has performed versions of the Sunday Night Football anthem since joining the program in 2013.
NBC leans further into rock music
NBC said the 2026 production drew inspiration from Underwood’s long-documented interest in rock music. Creative director Tripp Dixon described the connection between her performance style and the rock origins of the football anthem.
The updated production uses a higher-energy rock presentation than some earlier openings. Underwood said the new version was designed to capture the spirit of rock and roll.
The opening uses three different settings
The 2026 Sunday Night Football opening moves through three distinct locations: a recording studio, an intimate small music venue and a packed stadium.
The sequence follows Underwood from a studio performance into increasingly larger settings, connecting the anthem’s rock roots with the energy of a live concert before football action begins.
NBC has changed the theme before
The Sunday Night Football theme has changed during Underwood’s tenure. She performed “Oh, Sunday Night” for two seasons beginning in 2016, followed by “Game On” in 2018, before the Joan Jett-based version returned in 2019.
Since then, NBC has continued to refresh the arrangement and visual presentation of the opening. The network describes the show as an ongoing evolution rather than simply repeating the same production.
Interesting fact: Faith Hill performed the theme from 2007 through 2012, following Pink’s one-season run during the program’s debut year.
Social media criticism targets the remix
Online criticism of the 2026 opening focused on several elements. Some viewers questioned the sound of Underwood’s vocals, while others objected to aspects of the revised arrangement and stadium presentation.
The reaction appeared across social media after the Sept. 13 broadcast. Reports also documented supportive comments, showing that viewers did not respond to the new opening in one uniform way.
Interesting fact: Sunday Night Football debuted on NBC in 2006, making the 2026 season the program’s 21st season on the network. The inaugural theme was performed by Pink.
Other viewers support Underwood’s performance
Positive reactions to the 2026 opening also appeared online after its debut. Some viewers praised Underwood’s performance and said they liked the stronger rock direction used for the new version.
Those responses followed NBC’s stated goal of connecting Underwood with the anthem’s rock origins. The mixed discussion quickly made the new opening a notable part of the Week 1 broadcast.
Sunday Night Football enters another record year
Sunday Night Football entered the 2026 season after finishing as prime-time television’s No. 1 program for 15 consecutive years. NBC reported that the program led all major metrics and demographics during the 2025-26 television season.
The show’s continued audience reach gives its opening substantial exposure each week. NBC has repeatedly used the musical sequence as a signature part of its NFL presentation.
Cowboys-Giants provided the opening showcase
The new theme debuted before a major NFC East rivalry between Dallas and New York. The Giants won the Week 1 matchup 28-20 after the game opened NBC’s 2026 Sunday Night Football schedule.
The Cowboys-Giants matchup was the 15th meeting between the teams in NBC’s Sunday Night Football package. NBC said only Cowboys-Eagles, with 17 meetings, had appeared more often in the package.
The theme arrived during a busy NFL kickoff
NBC’s 2026 Sunday Night Football season opened after the league’s Wednesday night NFL Kickoff game. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 13-10 on Sept. 9 in a rematch of Super Bowl LX.
Four days later, Dallas and New York played the first Sunday night game of the 2026 SNF season. The schedule then continued with Indianapolis visiting Kansas City in Week 2.
The internet is also asking whether the Rams are already losing their grip on Super Bowl favorite status.
NBC continues its annual theme updates
NBC continues to revise its Sunday Night Football opening from season to season. The network’s creative team has changed arrangements, settings, performers and visual concepts across different eras of the program.
For 2026, the emphasis returned to the rock foundation associated with Joan Jett’s original recording. Underwood remains the featured singer, while NBC presents a refreshed opening for the 2026 Sunday Night Football season.
In other news, Caitlin Clark’s 3-pointer stands out in Team USA’s 105-64 win.
What do you think of NBC’s refreshed Sunday Night Football opening? Like this slideshow and leave a comment with your reaction.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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