Classic MNF theme song by Hank Williams Jr. will return for 2017

Are you ready for some football!?!

Even though there have been a lot of layoffs at ESPN, the network is bringing back a little blast from the past. According to Cindy Watts of the USA Today, the network has decided to bring Hank Williams Jr. back to record a new version of the theme song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” for Monday Night Football games in 2017, starting with the September 11th game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. That means the Cleveland Browns’ preseason game on MNF is not expected to feature the new theme.

Williams’ theme was last played on the network in 2011, but controversial political comments compelled the network to remove his presence. Six years later, the network says, “It was the right time [to bring it back]. We discussed it internally and it was just the right time to bring him back.”

Williams’ song for MNF was the first to gain notoriety, and I honestly couldn’t recall what song took its place in the years since then. From that perspective, it sounds like a good idea from a branding perspective. Sunday Night Football’s theme has perhaps become more prevalent over the past several years, although their revisions in 2016 didn’t go over as smooth as I’m sure NBC would have liked.

What do you think, Browns fans? Are you happy to have Williams’ theme song back?