Stephen A. Smith isn’t ready to count Tony Romo out of the CBS booth.
Romo’s legal trouble began on the evening of July 23, 2026, when the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and longtime CBS Sports lead NFL analyst was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. A Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputy stopped him for unsafe driving that included improper lane changes, cutting across a gore area, and passing on the right/shoulder.
Still, when a caller on Stephen A. Smith’s SiriusXM Radio show asked whether Romo would be back on CBS broadcasts this NFL season, Smith didn’t shut the door. He called Romo’s decision a serious mistake, but said he hoped the analyst could move forward.
“It was a mistake to put himself in that position. But it happens from time to time.
Thank God nobody was hurt or anything like that. Can’t get behind the wheel of a car inebriated in any way.
Can’t even give that impression. That’s a very, very serious transgression, and we can’t minimize that,” Smith said, per Awful Announcing.
“But in the same breath, he’s been a good dude, he’s always been a good dude, and nobody’s perfect. People make mistakes. And hopefully he can move on from here and live his best life and continue to do the great work he’s been doing for CBS,” he added later.
Romo’s situation is still unresolved. He has not been formally charged with a criminal offense.
Instead, he received traffic citations for operating while under the influence as a first offense, unsafe passing, and possession of an open container of alcohol in a moving vehicle after an open bottle was found on the passenger side of his Jeep during an inventory search. Some reports also note a citation related to refusing a chemical test for intoxication.
A court date is scheduled for Sept. 21, though multiple reports say he does not have to appear in person. As of early August 2026, no criminal charges have been filed.
In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI is generally treated as a civil violation rather than a crime. The possible penalties include fines of about $150 to $300 for the OWI itself, plus a substantial surcharge, extra fines tied to the other citations, and a total bill that could land around $1,000 to $1,600. His license could also be suspended for as long as about one year.
For now, Romo remains free and the case is still pending.
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