JJ Watt is stepping into one of the biggest seats in NFL broadcasting, and he’s doing it with the Packers on deck.
The Pewaukee native will be on CBS’ lead NFL crew for Green Bay’s season opener, calling the Week 1 game at Minnesota on Sunday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m.
Watt addressed the move on social media Tuesday, Aug. 11, saying the circumstances aren’t what anyone would want, but he’s ready for the opportunity.
"Haven't said much because it's not the circumstances you'd hope it would happen under, but I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity," the 37-year-old Watt wrote on X on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
He’ll be working alongside play-by-play voice Jim Nantz, sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson and producer Jim Rikhoff on what Watt called a "legendary" team.
The promotion puts Watt in the role previously held by fellow Wisconsinite Tony Romo, who has been placed on leave after an OWI-related arrest in Milwaukee last month. CBS said Romo is on leave "until further notice" after he received a citation following the arrest.
According to police, Romo refused to take a test for intoxication and failed field-sobriety tests after being pulled over on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee for traffic violations. The Burlington native was in Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Amateur golf tournament in West Bend.
Watt retired from the NFL in 2022 after 12 seasons and three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. He joined CBS in 2023 as a studio analyst, then moved into the booth last season to call games with Ian Eagle on CBS’ No. 2 team.
That pairing drew strong reviews from fans, and Watt’s chemistry with Eagle stood out throughout the 2025 season.
For now, the former Wisconsin Badgers All-American has the spotlight - and his first assignment is already circled.
"See you in Minnesota!" Watt wrote on X.
In Other News...
Joe Brunner Is Becoming A Frustrating What-If For Wisconsin
Joe Brunners departure from Wisconsin this offseason fits the kind of move that can linger a little longer than a normal transfer. After a down year for the Badgers, the former Wisconsin offensive lineman landed at Indiana and quickly found a different kind of footing, taking on a more vocal leadership role up front. It is the sort of development that naturally invites a second look back in Madison, especially when a player settles in elsewhere in a way that never quite happened before.
Curt Cignetti has made a point of pushing older transfers to lead, and Brunner appears to have responded to that approach. For Wisconsin, the frustration is in the possibility that a lineman with that profile was available all along, but did not fully embrace that responsibility in his previous stop. In a season where the Badgers are already searching for answers, Brunners new role only sharpens the sense of what might have been. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has A Response To Dilin Jones Rising At LSU
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Jones rise at LSU adds a little extra intrigue to Wisconsins side of the story, because it puts a spotlight on what the Badgers gave up and what they think they gained in return. The confidence in Madison is that the room now has more options and more stability than it did a year ago, even if one of the names that left is already turning heads in Baton Rouge. For Wisconsin, the larger question is not just how Jones performs out there, but whether the group it rebuilt can answer on the field when the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Mateos Is Setting A Tone Wisconsin Fans Have Been Missing
Eric Mateos has quickly given Wisconsins offensive line a very different feel, bringing the kind of relentless attention to detail that can change the standard in a room. As the Badgers new offensive line coach, he has made it clear that the goal is not just competence, but a tougher, more aggressive unit that keeps pushing its own ceiling higher.
For a program that has long built its identity in the trenches, that matters. Mateos is described as obsessive about continuous improvement, and that mindset could be exactly what Wisconsin needs as it tries to get its line playing to a higher bar. The intent is obvious, even if the proof will have to come on the field. [Read more 🡒]