Carrie Underwood shut down rumors that have been circulating online about her Sunday Night Football gig pay check. During an interview with Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show, the country superstar addressed the rumors circulating about her earnings from performing the Sunday Night Football (SNF) theme song.
Underwood Shuts Down Rumors Of Her Sunday Night Football Salary
In the midst of their lengthy conversation, Stern questioned Underwood, asking her whether or not she was making $18 million per season for her Sunday Night Football gig.
“Is it true, it’s 18 million dollars a year?” Stern asked Underwood. “For me?” a confused Carrie Underwood questioned, to which a shocked Stern replied, “oh, it’s not?”
Underwood then revealed, “No… It’s pretty pro bono.” She then further addressed the online reports regarding her Sunday Night Football salary, clarifying that they are inaccurate. However, with a laugh, she confessed that she wouldn’t mind earning $1 million per episode if the reports were true.
“No, I wish, that’d be great. That’d be awesome. [Google] steered you wrong there,” Underwood admitted. Stern then clarified, “In other words, they said, ‘hey Carrie, you don’t need money. This is an honor to sing.”
Underwood Admitted The Gig Is “An Honor” And That She Appreciates The Exposure
She also elaborated that her gig with Sunday Night Football is “an honor” as she is an avid football fan and appreciates the exposure each week on the broadcast. “It is an honor… like I grew up watching football and just to kind of have a small part of it… I’ve had players come up to me, and they’re like ‘you get me revved up’ and it’s really cool,” she explained.
Despite the gig being “pro bono,” it offers Carrie Underwood incredible amounts of exposure due to the massive audience of Sunday Night Football, which averaged over 21.4 million viewers per week in 2023, as reported by NBC Sports Group Press Box.
Carrie Underwood’s response about the false reports of her Sunday Night Football salary comes months after AllSportsFaq.com reported that the Oklahoma native is paid approximately $1 million each week for the job.
2023 Marked Underwood’s 11th Consecutive Season With SNF
For more than a decade, Carrie Underwood has been hyping up NFL fans with her powerful voice before each Sunday Night Football kick off.
This role was previously held by Faith Hill until Underwood took over in 2013. Over the past 11 years, Underwood has belted out various songs, including “Oh Sunday Night” and “Game On.” This year, she returned with the original “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” a revamped version of Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You.”
Carrie Underwood’s Sunday Night Football Theme Song Performance
Underwood made her official return to Sunday Night Football for her 11th consecutive theme songs opening during the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants season 18 opener on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
The dazzling opening included the eight-time GRAMMY winner performing a new rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” a play on Jett’s 1988 hit, “I Hate Myself For Loving You.” The video opened with Underwood being lowered down onto the stage from above. Donning a stunning black metallic bodysuit, the country hitmaker commanded the stage as she belted out the lyrics to the SNF anthem.
This year’s video also featured a brand-new element, in which viewers saw her delivering an impressive drum solo on the same drum kit she used for her 2023 Denim & Rhinestones Tour.
The performance clips of Underwood were filmed at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas and were interspersed throughout the video, which also included augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard.
“Once again, the incredible Sunday Night Football team came up with a fresh, exciting visual concept that really gave us a chance to play,” Underwood previously shared in a statement. “I loved shooting the show open again this year at our home away from home, The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, and can’t wait for another season of football!”
Additionally, Carrie Underwood will reportedly return to Sunday Night Football for a 12th season in 2024. According to The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Underwood has already taped her 2024 Sunday Night Football theme with about 50 extras in Las Vegas.
