CBS Places Tony Romo on Leave After DUI Arrest, Promotes J.J. Watt to Lead NFL Booth
Tony Romo has been put on leave by CBS Sports following a DUI arrest, and former NFL star J.J. Watt will join Jim Nantz in the network's primary NFL broadcast team.
CBS Sports announced that analyst Tony Romo is on leave pending the outcome of his recent arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The network has not provided a timeline for his return and has not offered further comment on the matter.
In Romo's absence, former defensive end J.J. Watt has been elevated to work alongside veteran play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz in CBS's lead NFL broadcast booth. The move comes as the network prepares for its upcoming NFL schedule, including a regular-season game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers on September 13 and a marquee matchup in Brazil on September 27.
Romo's contract, signed in 2020, guarantees $180 million over ten years, with $72 million payable over the next four years. The agreement includes a morals clause that allows the network to take action if a talent's conduct is deemed detrimental to the brand.
Legal proceedings are scheduled for September 21 in Wisconsin. CBS has several high-profile broadcasts planned for the first month of the season, and Romo's participation in those events remains uncertain.
"We are reviewing the situation and will make decisions that are in the best interest of the network and its viewers," a CBS spokesperson said.
The network's upcoming NFL seminar for on-air talent and production staff will proceed as planned, with Watt expected to take a prominent role. Romo's future with CBS will depend on the outcome of his legal case and any further assessments by the network regarding his on-air performance and contractual obligations.