YEAR 13 — And Sunday Night Football Still Belongsto Carrie: How Carrie Underwood Continues to Own the Moment
It’s hard to imagine Sunday Night Football without the pow erful voice of Carrie Underwood. For 13 years, she has been the face of the NFL’s weekly kickoff, with her unforgettable opening sequence becoming a defining moment in the world of sports entertainment. But in 2025, when Carrie returned to sing the opening number for the season’s opener, something special happened. The lights, the beat, the familiar rush—it didn’t just feel like a routine performance. It felt right. As Carrie belted out the anthem to kick off the new season, it wasn’t just a song being sung—it was a celebration of the essence of football itself. When Carrie sings, football season begins.
Carrie Underwood’s involvement with Sunday Night Football (SNF) is now legendary, and her role as the voice of NFL opening nights has evolved into something much more than just a musical performance. For millions of fans across the country, her entrance into the spotlight each season is the signal that the most exciting time of the year is upon us. Football isn’t just a game on Sundays—it’s an event, and Carrie Underwood is the one who sets the stage for that excitement.
This article will explore Carrie Underwood’s enduring influence on Sunday Night Football, the way she has become synonymous with the start of football season, and how her role continues to inspire and energize fans. We’ll look at the lasting impact of her iconic song “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” the evolution of her performances, and the way her connection to football season has helped shape her career and legacy.
Carrie Underwood and Sunday Night Football: A Perfect Partnership
When Carrie Underwood first stepped into the world of Sunday Night Football in 2007, no one could have predicted just how iconic her role would become. Her performance of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” quickly became more than just a catchy theme song—it became a staple of NFL culture. The song, a reimagining of the Joan Jett classic “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” perfectly captured the energy, intensity, and excitement that comes with the start of each NFL week.
Carrie’s performance was, from the very beginning, electric. She brought her signature vocal power and charisma to the song, transforming it into something larger than life. With the NFL’s massive audience tuning in to watch the opening segment, Carrie instantly became one of the most recognizable faces in sports entertainment, connecting with millions of football fans across the country.
What started as a simple partnership between Underwood and NBC’s Sunday Night Football quickly blossomed into an iconic relationship that fans have come to associate with the start of the NFL season. Each year, Carrie’s return to the stage is met with the same excitement and anticipation that accompanies the kickoff of football games. When she sings, it’s not just a musical performance—it’s a tradition. Football season doesn’t officially start until Carrie hits that note.
A Tradition Like No Other: Carrie’s Return Each Season
Carrie Underwood’s role as the voice of Sunday Night Football has evolved over the years. With each new season, her performances have become more refined, more confident, and more connected to the culture of the NFL itself. It’s not just about singing a theme song anymore—Carrie has become an integral part of the football experience, an essential piece of the puzzle that helps set the tone for the excitement and drama of the games to come.
Year after year, Carrie’s opening performances have remained fresh and exciting, with new arrangements and visually stunning presentations. From the first year she took the stage with her powerhouse vocals to her more elaborate, electrified performances featuring intricate choreography and bold stage designs, Carrie has consistently kept her Sunday Night Football intros exciting and memorable. The use of special effects, pyrotechnics, and breathtaking visuals only adds to the spectacle, making it clear that Carrie Underwood’s involvement with the NFL is anything but ordinary.
In 2025, when Carrie returned to kick off the season, it felt like a full-circle moment. The lights shone brightly, the crowd cheered, and as Carrie stood center stage, the familiar rush of excitement that always accompanies the beginning of football season was palpable. The energy was unmistakable. It wasn’t just another performance—it was a celebration of a tradition that had become as much a part of football as the game itself.
Her involvement has never been just about entertainment—it’s about creating an emotional connection with fans. As Carrie has grown into this role, she has also become a fixture in the lives of football fans, symbolizing the joy, anticipation, and thrill that accompany the season. Every year, as she steps onto that stage, it’s a moment of unity for millions who gather to watch the NFL, awaiting the start of another exciting year of games.
The Evolution of Carrie Underwood’s Performances: Power, Emotion, and Energy
While the basic framework of her performance has remained the same over the years—Carrie singing “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night”—each new rendition has evolved, keeping fans on the edge of their seats and ensuring the opening segment feels like an event in itself. Over the years, the performances have become more elaborate, featuring new visuals, choreography, and larger-than-life sets that mirror the intensity of the games.
The most recent performances, especially in 2025, demonstrated just how much Carrie has transformed this role into something entirely her own. What began as an intro song now feels like a full-blown spectacle—something that highlights Carrie’s growth as an artist and her understanding of how to build excitement for such a large-scale event.
Carrie’s vocal performances have only gotten stronger with each year, proving that her voice is as much a part of the Super Bowl-sized event as the game itself. Her live performances are a mix of strength and vulnerability, perfectly capturing the highs and lows of the football season. As she belts out the powerful chorus of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” there’s no doubt that Carrie has created an anthem that not only gets fans pumped for the game but connects with them on an emotional level.
The 2025 opener, in particular, stood out as one of her most dynamic performances to date. The lights, the sound, the visuals—they all came together in a seamless blend of spectacle and artistry, drawing fans into the magic of the moment. Carrie’s performance wasn’t just about the music—it was about setting the tone for what was to come, helping fans feel the excitement of the NFL season and giving them something to look forward to week after week.
The “Carrie Underwood Effect”: What Makes Her Performances So Iconic?
Carrie Underwood’s involvement with Sunday Night Football has become one of the most iconic aspects of the NFL experience. What makes her performances so special? It’s more than just her voice, though that alone would be enough to make her unforgettable. It’s about the way she brings her own energy to the stage, the way she connects with fans, and the undeniable presence she commands as she leads the crowd into the night’s games.
At the heart of it all is Carrie’s authenticity. She isn’t just singing for the sake of performance—she’s singing for the love of the game and the love of the fans. Her enthusiasm for both football and music is evident in every note she sings and every move she makes on stage. And that connection is something that resonates deeply with audiences, whether they’re die-hard football fans or casual viewers.
Carrie’s confidence, grace, and dedication to making each performance unique is what makes her the perfect fit for such a prestigious role. While some artists may shy away from such a high-profile performance, Carrie embraces it with open arms, knowing that she’s part of something much bigger than herself. She understands that her role as the voice of Sunday Night Football goes beyond entertainment—it’s about creating a shared experience that unites fans and gets them excited for the week ahead.
The Emotional Impact of Carrie Underwood’s SNF Performances
Every time Carrie steps onto that stage, it’s more than just a show—it’s an emotional moment for many fans. For those who have grown up watching her open the season year after year, Carrie’s performances represent the start of something bigger—the promise of another exciting season of football, the thrill of the game, and the connection between fans, players, and the sport they love.
Carrie’s emotional connection with the audience is one of the key reasons why her performances are so impactful. She doesn’t just sing a song—she creates an atmosphere that makes fans feel like they’re part of something special. Whether she’s performing for a crowd in the stadium or singing for millions at home, Carrie’s ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level is what makes her such a beloved figure in the world of sports entertainment.
Her performances are a reminder that football is not just a game—it’s a tradition, a cultural event, and a celebration of the community that surrounds it. With every note Carrie sings, she helps bring people together, igniting a passion that lasts long after the opening performance has ended.
Carrie Underwood, The Voice of Football Season
Carrie Underwood’s 13 years as the voice of Sunday Night Football has become a defining chapter in both her career and the history of the NFL. Her ability to transform a simple theme song into a national anthem, to create a spectacle that is equal parts music and celebration, has solidified her place as one of the most iconic figures in sports entertainment.
With every new season, Carrie continues to bring her talent, authenticity, and heart to the stage, making football season feel like a family tradition. As she takes center stage to kick off each game, she’s not just performing—she’s welcoming fans to another exciting year of football. When Carrie sings, the season begins, and for millions of people across the country, there’s no other voice that can define that moment better.
After 13 years, it’s clear that Carrie Underwood isn’t just the voice of Sunday Night Football—she’s a symbol of the energy, excitement, and spirit of the game. And as long as she continues to sing, football season will always feel like home.
