Carrie Underwood surprised fans when she kicked off her concert at the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival with the first live performance of the Sunday Night Football theme song.
Donning an all silver and black ensemble and surrounded by colorful lights, the country superstar took to the stage at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Her powerhouse vocals soared through the speakers, sending fans into a frenzy as she sang “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” for the first time ever live in concert. The 41-year-old singer commanded the stage as she belted out the lyrics to the Sunday Night Football anthem.
“Waiting all day for Sunday night/ Alright, what a night, it’s finally here/ Sunday Night Football’s kicking into high gear/ The stars have arrived/ Come on, get up and cheer!” Underwood sang. The tune is a revamped version of Joan Jett’s 1988 hit, “I Hate Myself For Loving You.”
Following the show, Carrie Underwood took to social media to share a gallery of photos from the show as well as a heartfelt “Thank You” message to the fans.
“Had a fun night last night in Canton, Ohio at the #tombensonhalloffamestadium for the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Underwood wrote on social media. “Such a great crowd! Thanks for coming out and singing along!!!”
For more than a decade, Carrie Underwood has been hyping up NFL fans with her powerful voice before each Sunday Night Football kick off. The eight-time GRAMMY Award winner has served as the soundtrack of Sunday Night Football for 11 consecutive seasons, beginning in 2013.
The 2023 edition of the Sunday Night Football show opener featured Underwood and was filmed at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas during her REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency. The show’s opening features live footage of Underwood performing the iconic tune, combined with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood’s performance not only includes her singing the tune, but also an epic drum solo on a CU-branded drum kit.
It remains uncertain if Carrie Underwood will return for the 2024 football season, but fans are certainly hoping for her comeback.
Underwood is currently embarking on her sought after Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Theatre, which kicked off in December 2021 and runs through April 2025.
Additionally, the country superstar will join the star-studded judges panel on American Idol alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie for season 23.
