Carrie Underwood is staying on NBC’s Sunday night stage, and the network is giving her entrance music a fresh coat of paint for 2026.
NBC confirmed Tuesday that Underwood will return for a 14th straight season as the voice of “Sunday Night Football,” extending one of the most durable pairings in sports television. She has been opening NBC’s NFL coverage since 2013, and when the 2026 season kicks off, fans will hear a new version of the show’s signature anthem.
The update is being built around Underwood’s well-known affection for rock music. Creative director Tripp Dixon said the production is aiming to reconnect the song with its rock foundation, which began with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
Underwood is on board with the shift, too. She said the refreshed opening “welcomes Sunday Night Football into my ongoing rock star fever dream,” and added that she is excited for fans to hear it.
NBC won’t make viewers wait until the regular season for a first taste. The network said a preview of the new opening will air during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6.
The full debut is set for Sept. 13, when the Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants to launch NBC’s Sunday Night Football slate. That game also marks John Harbaugh’s regular-season debut as New York’s head coach.
Cowboys-Giants has long been one of NBC’s go-to matchups, and this year’s meeting will be the 15th time the teams have faced off on Sunday Night Football. Only Cowboys-Eagles has appeared more often in the broadcast’s history.
After all these years, Underwood remains as closely tied to Sunday night football as the game itself. NBC’s answer isn’t to change voices - it’s to keep hers and sharpen the sound around it.
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