CBS Sports has placed NFL analyst Tony Romo on leave indefinitely following an operating while intoxicated arrest in Wisconsin last month. Network president David Berson announced there is no timetable for the return of the $18 million a year analyst as CBS reshuffles its broadcasting crews for Week 1 of the new season. Analyst J.J. Watt will move up to partner Jim Nantz and Tracy on the lead broadcast team.
Ross Tucker, a 47-year-old former offensive lineman, will step up to the network's No. 2 crew alongside Ian Eagle to replace Watt. Authorities stopped Romo in Milwaukee after a golf tournament, and police bodycam footage showed him failing multiple sobriety tests. A CBS spokesperson confirmed that Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice. Romo was absent from the network's media day in New York on Tuesday to preview the upcoming season.
Network executive update on Romo status
"I hope you can respect and appreciate this is a personal matter, and a legal one for Tony. So I can't speak to that aspect. But I can say this is an evolving situation. Therefore, we're still assessing," Berson said at the press conference. "There's no timetable or final decision at this time. Since it continues to evolve, and we're on the eve of the season, I felt it was very important that our team, the many, many people who work on the NFL on CBS, have certainty and direction so we can definitively plan."
Berson added that executive decision-making required evaluating the wider impact on the network. "In making this decision, we had to consider the impact on our image and our brand. That's very important to us. Whether the games, marketing, PR, social, the focus should be - and needs to be - on our presentation and this great product and not on any other factors," Berson said. "Fortunately, we have a very deep bench. I'm very proud of the way everybody is stepping up and responding. As you know, J.J. will join Jim and Tracy as the lead team in Tony's absence. They are already knee-deep in planning. I have every confidence they'll be great."
Reports had previously suggested Tucker was lined up for an analyst role in CBS' fourth booth. That vacancy opened after Jason McCourty returned to ESPN and Charles Davis left to become the lead Big Ten analyst for college football full-time. Tucker has been a regular part of the CBS broadcasting rotation since 2023 and now gets an opportunity to impress on the No. 2 crew.
CBS Sports broadcast schedule for Week 1
The new NFL season begins on September 9, while the slate of games for CBS starts on Sunday, September 13. The network will broadcast five games during Week 1, opening with three early games: the Ravens at Colts, Bills at Texans, and Browns at Jaguars. The afternoon slate features the Cardinals at Chargers and Packers at Vikings.
Uncertainty remains regarding Romo's long-term future with the network, with a recent report claiming it is unlikely he will ever return. Longtime analyst Colin Cowherd noted that tension between CBS and Romo has built since he signed a 10-year, $180 million contract in 2020. Cowherd discussed the relationship during an appearance on the House of Strauss podcast.
"When you go into contract negotiations, there was a moment in time that Tony Romo had tremendous leverage over CBS. And he squeezed them for every nickel," Cowherd said. "Even if you have leverage, it will create resentment somewhere upstairs. And I've always thought with the CBS execs, they don't defend him quite as quickly. Or, when this recent story came out, reportedly, for the first two days nobody from CBS contacted him. That's what I heard from somebody who would know. And I thought, is there resentment upstairs? Because he had them. He had them dead to rights, and he got every penny he wanted."
Legal proceedings and potential booth replacements
Romo faces a court hearing on September 21 regarding his OWI charge, though he is not required to attend in person. The charge carries a $1,066 fine in addition to a $235 penalty received for a moving violation.
Former NFL player Greg Olsen has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Romo if he leaves CBS permanently. Olsen moved to the No. 2 booth at Fox after Tom Brady joined the network as lead analyst. Per Varsity, Olsen maintains a clause in his Fox contract that allows him to leave if offered a top analyst role at another network.
