“Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” is coming back to NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” this season, just in time for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season opener.
A new version of the song, which brings Joan Jett and Carrie Underwood together, will premiere on “SNF” Week 1 with the Steelers visiting the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.
And a sneak preview of the new song will air during Sunday night’s preseason game between the Steelers and Tennessee Titans, which airs at 8 p.m. on NBC.
The Steelers have another “SNF” game set for Week 6 against the Chargers in Los Angeles.
“Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” was adapted from Jett’s 1988 hit “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” Pink first performed it in 2006, followed by a country version sung by Faith Hill for six seasons and then Underwood, who did her own version from 2013 to 2015.
This is the first time Jett is involved in its perfromance.
“I have always been a huge fan of Joan’s, and I’m thrilled that she’s joining us for the ‘Sunday Night Football’ open,” Underwood said in a statement. “What better way to pay homage to the original ‘SNF’ opening song than by getting to play with her on primetime’s biggest stage?”
The song replaces a couple of theme songs that only lasted a season or two, including “Game On!” from last year, and “Oh, Sunday Night,” a rewritten version of the “Somethin’ Bad” that Underwood performed with Miranda Lambert, which was featured in 2016 and 2017.
The use of “Game On” last season is the basis of a lawsuit filed in federal court. A songwriting team has sued Underwood, the NFL and NBC, saying they stole a song and “slightly modified” it.
And if you can’t wait for the new version, here’s something to hold you over.
The Associated Press contributed.
