Carrie Underwood Ignites 20th Season of Sunday Night Football With Electrifying New Opening

Amidst much anticipation among football enthusiasts, Carrie Underwood officially commenced the 2025 NFL season live on NBC's Sunday Night Football, performing the show's signature opening theme, "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," prior to the Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills matchup of the season opener. This marks Underwood's 13th consecutive year performing the theme, continuing a tradition that signals the start of football season and fall for fans nationwide.

The debut of this season's opening was filmed at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, where Underwood's residency took place. It featured Underwood in a silver coat, performing on stage with cheerleaders and a string band, creating a dynamic and celebratory atmosphere. Visuals will vary weekly to match each game's featured matchup.

To celebrate the 20th season of Sunday Night Football, the opening was reimagined with a high-energy production. It blended stylized shots and behind-the-scenes footage, emphasizing Underwood's powerful vocals and the vibrant excitement of the NFL's weekly primetime showcase.

Creative director Tripp Dixon said, "For the 20th season of SNF, we wanted to set the tone for the night by reimagining the anthem sound in a way that plays to Carrie's powerhouse vocals, while visually creating a seamless blend of stylized shots and behind-the-scenes moments evoking the national roadshow that is Sunday Night Football, week after week in the fall."

"It's hard to believe it's been 13 years," Underwood, an eight-time GRAMMY-winner, acknowledged her history with the NFL and with NBC, which is now in its 20th season. Calling "the fans" the most special thing about the whole deal, Underwood beamed, "They'll come up to me, like, on the street and be like, 'Oh my gosh! I love Sunday night football. That's my son's favorite song. The Super Bowl is kind of home to NBC. It's spectacular. It's exciting."

Underwood has performed a variety of SNF themes since 2013, including "Oh, Sunday Night" and "Game On." Following a copyright dispute over "Game On," NBC returned to the original "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" theme. The 2025 NFL season began on September 5 with a matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles, faced the Dallas Cowboys.