

(Mason Poole / Invision for Parkwood Entertainment)

Starting Sept. 11, CBS and the NFL Network will begin carrying NFL games on Thursday nights and that means one thing: the show needs a song.

Hank Williams Jr. is available, but “Thursday Night Football” will go in a different direction: Jay Z and Rihanna will sing “Run This Town” with Don Cheadle doing a preview of each game.

“This open combines one of music’s biggest stars with one of the most dynamic actors in Hollywood,” CBS Sports creative director Pete Radovich, who directed and produced the open, said. “The energy that both talents provide gives the opening to every Thursday night the big-game, primetime feel it deserves. It is a dream scenario for any director.”

The season opener, of course, is on NBC. Then CBS/the NFL Network take over. CBS will broadcast the first seven games with the NFL Network taking over Oct. 30 (except for the Thanksgiving Day game, which will be shown on NBC).