Hank Williams Jr. won't have his song used for "Monday Night Football" in 2020. Independent Mail file via Imagn Content Services, LLC

ESPN removes Hank Williams Jr. song from 'Monday Night Football' open

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Sep 8, 2020 5:41 PM ET

John Ourand of Sports Business Daily reported on Tuesday that ESPN is removing the classic “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” song from "Monday Night Football" broadcasts for the 2020 NFL season held amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Per Ourand, ESPN will instead use the Little Richard song “Rip It Up," with band Butcher Brown offering instrumentals for the track.

ESPN decided against the iconic "MNF" tune because the majority of NFL clubs are opening the season playing behind closed doors and without fans at stadiums due to the uncontrolled virus outbreak.

Spectators won't be permitted to attend the Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Giants and Tennesee Titans-Denver Broncos Week 1 "MNF" fixtures that will occur on Sept. 14.

This isn't the first time ESPN has gone in a different direction, as the network dropped Williams' song in 2011 after he made controversial comments about President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. ESPN brought Williams and "All My Rowdy Friends" back in 2017.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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