CBS has moved on from Tony Romo.
After nine seasons in the broadcast booth, the former Cowboys quarterback is out at the network following his OWI arrest in Wisconsin over the summer. When videos of Romo’s sobriety test surfaced, the situation looked serious enough that CBS put him on leave “until further notice.” Now the split is official.
“CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways,” CBS Sports said. “We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”
The move locks in a new setup at the top of CBS’s NFL coverage, with three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt becoming the permanent No. 1 color commentator alongside Jim Nantz. For CBS and for NFL viewers who grew used to Romo’s style, it marks a sharp end to a run that stood out from the start.
Romo built his reputation on anticipation, often seeing the play develop before it happened and talking viewers through it in real time. That was part of what made the Phil Simms-to-Romo transition feel so dramatic for CBS in the first place.
There will be plenty of people who question the outcome, especially since other athletes and celebrities have dealt with worse and kept working. But Romo’s case carried real consequences: his driving privileges were revoked for six months, and he paid a $784 fine.
Kevin Hageland from 105.3 The Fan said he expected Romo to return in some form.
"I really thought at some point Romo would be back. Now, whether or not that meant he would be on a different announced team or they would just put him back alongside Jim Nantz and move J.J. Watt elsewhere, I thought eventually he would be back."
Watt brings his own forceful energy to the booth, but Romo’s knack for reading a play before it unfolded made him a different kind of voice. He’ll be missed by plenty of Cowboys fans, and now he’ll have to find his next landing spot after the CBS exit.
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