The 2023-24 NFL season was not without its share of non-gridiron controversies. Scores of fans accused pop megastar Taylor Swift of “ruining football” simply for showing up at Kansas City Chiefs games to support boyfriend Travis Kelce. And social media lit up when country songstress Carrie Underwood’s iconic performance of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” was missing from the playoffs.

“You can’t call anything ‘super’ like wild card weekend, when they cut Carrie Underwood out of the NBC coverage,” one fan complained on X, formerly Twitter. “They should have played this game on Peacock.”

Sunday Night Football Wishes Carrie Underwood a Happy Birthday

Underwood turned 41 on Sunday (March 10.) The official X/Twitter account for Sunday Night Football extended birthday greetings to the 2005 American Idol winner. The post also included a behind-the-scenes look of Underwood watching her Sunday Night Football open. Naturally, this has fans once again in a tailspin.

“Happy B-day @carrieunderwood,” one X/Twitter user wrote. “i hope you will have her back for SNF this year.”

Another fan chose to forego the birthday wishes entirely in favor of pitching Underwood’s return: “I hope you have her back for next season. Best opener you’ve had!”

The “Before He Cheats” singer was on some NFL fans’ minds even before her special day. “What I would do for Carrie Underwood to be on my TV screen singing about Sunday Night Football right now,” an X/Twitter user posted March 3.

While it is unclear whether Underwood is returning to Sunday Night Football in 2024, we wouldn’t bet against it. This past season marked the 11th straight year that Underwood’s memorable anthem has served as the opening theme for Sunday Night Football.