CBS Places Tony Romo on Indefinite Leave and Reassigns J.J. Watt to Lead Broadcast Team
CBS announced that analyst Tony Romo will be on indefinite leave following his recent DUI arrest, while J.J. Watt will join Jim Nantz as the network's top NFL broadcast team. The network has not confirmed Romo's future role.
CBS confirmed that Tony Romo has been placed on indefinite leave after his July 23 arrest for operating while intoxicated in Wisconsin. The network also said former defensive end J.J. Watt will partner with veteran play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz for the opening weeks of the NFL season. Sources indicated that CBS has not yet decided who will pair with Ian Eagle on the secondary broadcast crew.
The move allows Nantz and Watt to call at least the first two games of the season, scheduled for September 13 and September 20. Romo’s court hearing for the operating-while-intoxicated case is set for September 21, and his return to the broadcast booth remains uncertain. If cleared, CBS could reinstate him for later games, but the network may also consider reassigning him to a different crew or terminating his contract, which runs $17 million per year through 2029, under a morals clause.
Industry observers note that the reshuffling creates several possible scenarios for CBS, including retaining the Nantz-Watt pairing as the lead team or bringing in another analyst such as former player Greg Olsen if a vacancy arises. The network has not issued a timeline for any final decisions.
In related sports broadcasting news, Netflix will stream a Thursday night NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams from Australia, with Noah Eagle and Luke Kuechly as commentators. ESPN also added former player Jason McCourty to its Monday Night Countdown pre-game show.