A theme song traditionally plays prior to any NFL game beginning. The musical values of these songs are subjectively varied: some are iconic, some fade into the background, and some are actively aggravating. However, they are all important components of the experience viewers immediately receive when tuning in. I will rank five of the most prominent ones below.
No. 5: “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, aka “Heavy Action” by Johnny Pearson
Contains a solid opening, although it feels derivative in light of similarities with the other themes below. This might be owing to its multi-capacity use in the United Kingdom for “Superstars,” leaving the track with less of a solid, singular identity. The lack of dynamic contrast which follows in the main section does not help much either. I have no real interest or attachment to this one, probably because Monday Night Football has never been a big part of my NFL diet. Sometimes, homework has to come before an absolutely electric matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans. Without listening reinforcement, this one falls to the wayside.
No. 4: “Thursday Night Football” on NFL Network, aka “Run to the Playoffs” by David Robidoux
I have always been fascinated by the weirdly eerie bells that get this song started, but this feels like pretty standard fare music for any and all sports programming. Nothing about it strictly resonates as an NFL theme. Sure, I get the sense of the game’s essential elements through sound—I know I am going to watch something forceful, physical and heavy-hitting. However, the later cookie-cutter beat used to support these elements is far from my favorite. Thankfully, those creepy bells come back, but they are not enough to carry the song alone, even as their galloping nicely fits the composition’s title. All things considered, this one is serviceable but not a favorite. Prior to the 2022 season, “NFL Network Exclusive Game Series” (formerly known as “NFL Network Special”) branding was only used on “Thursday Night Football.” After Amazon acquired exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football,” the theme was replaced by the robotic, fittingly-named “Prime Video Sports Theme.” Ouch.
No. 3: “NBC Sunday Night Football,” aka “Wide Receiver” by John Williams
We start cooking with gas at this point. This is the one you hear when you have a shit ton of homework due the next day, but you just cannot miss the matchup. Great memories abound, and it is also composed by the legendary John Williams. I always thought this sounded like a “Star Wars” deep-cut. Like many of the other themes, this one is led by regal horns blasting alongside an amped-up rock group. Good—if not great—but definitively outclassed by the next two entries.
No. 2: “NFL on Fox” by Scott Schreer
This is the first of two songs where I can instantly picture myself listening while a game begins on the TV. Opening with a chorus of horns punctuated by bassy blasts, the first few seconds might be the most recognizable musical theme in all of American sports. It moves into a less punchy section that chugs with impressive intensity. No wonder pep and marching bands love it. The goofy animated robots typically included alongside this are a fun added bonus too. At one point, Fox began to use this song on all their sports broadcasts, although the practice was later discontinued in 2020. The people just cannot get enough.
No. 1: “NFL on CBS,” aka “Posthumus Zone” by E.S. Posthumus
1 p.m. on a Sunday in 2012. The Patriots are playing somebody, anybody. A cool fall breeze blows through the semi-barren branches. Family and friends gather in anticipation. The “NFL on CBS” theme begins. You probably could have guessed this one after seeing my second place pick. If anything sounds like football, it is the introductory brass and percussion hits on this piece. Like many of the previous choices, the beginning of the song is essential to its entire success—the lead melody is triumphantly strong, almost as if it was directly lifted from a symphonic piece. French horns play as loud and resonantly as possible, imparting a sense of the weighty importance you must witness. This orchestral base is recombined and uplifted with a hamfisted rocksupporting cast, a common combination which is utilized more seamlessly here. Each of the song’s sections are arranged in a manner which perfectly lends itself to being spliced up around commercial breaks, adding variety while continually reinforcing the main melody throughout the broadcast. Out of all the NFL compositions, this one is the most compelling and nostalgic. There is a reason it has been continuously used for over two decades.
On back-to-back listens, the most prominent qualities of all five of these themes begin to mesh into one another. There is not one precise formula for a good NFL theme, but there is certainly a guiding aesthetic ideal contained within each. From personal emotional impact to these sound cues and their actual composition, NFL themes are never an afterthought for the hosting network. In the anticipatory build-up to a key game, the right piece of music can make a world of difference.