Carrie Underwood and ‘American Idol’ Crew Tease “Special Surprise” During NFL Appearance

Carrie Underwood Dishes On What Type Of 'American Idol' Judge She'll Be

American Idol viewers tuned in faithfully for seven seasons to watch the dynamic between judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. The trio remained solid from the time ABC rebooted the show in 2018 until Perry announced her departure earlier this year. With the “Woman’s World” singer stepping down after the season 22 finale, an Idol legend has stepped up to take her place. Country superstar Carrie Underwood, who rose to fame following her season 4 victory, will join Bryan and Richie at the judges’ table next spring. The judges, along with host Ryan Seacrest, made an appearance during Sunday’s (Nov. 3) Tennessee Titans-New England Patriots matchup at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium. And fans are in a frenzy after Idol’s social media pages teased “a special surprise.”

‘American Idol’ Judges Take Nashville

The Tennessee Titans are battling the New England Patriots during Week 9 of the 2024-25 NFL season. And the American Idol judges have a front-row seat. The Titans posted a video of Bryan, Richie, Underwood and Seacrest on the field at Nissan Stadium, all sporting Titans gear.

The Idol crew chanted, “Titan Up!” as they stood with T-Rec, the NFL franchise’s mascot.


“@AmericanIdol is in the house with a special surprise!” the caption read. “Watch it all unfold in Spring ‘25 on ABC!”

The post didn’t clarify the exact nature of the “special surprise.” However, The Tennessean reported Oct. 31 that the crew was in Nashville for closed auditions for the show’s 2025 season. That means we’ll likely learn the true nature of the “special surprise” in spring 2025.

When Does ‘Idol’ Return?

In May, American Idol viewers crowned Abi Carter the winner of season 22 over runner-up Will Moseley. Six months later, Carter is preparing to drop her debut album, Ghosts in the Backyard, on Nov. 15. While viewers are enjoying following her career trajectory, they are likely getting anxious for news of the next season.

According to The Tennessean, American Idol is still holding auditions for the upcoming season. While the show has not announced an exact date, season 23 will premiere sometime in the spring of 2025.