CBS Sports and Tony Romo announced on Friday, October 2, that they have mutually agreed to part ways, ending a nine-year run that made Romo the network's lead NFL color commentator. The decision comes more than two months after Romo was arrested for operating while intoxicated (OWI) in Wisconsin, a case that had left his broadcasting future in limbo since late July.
The move closes a chapter that began in 2017, when Romo walked almost directly from the Dallas Cowboys locker room into the NFL broadcast booth. He quickly became known for his ability to anticipate plays before they unfolded, a skill that turned him into one of the sport's most recognizable broadcasting voices alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.
What led to the split with CBS
In July, Romo was pulled over on a highway outside Milwaukee after playing in a nearby golf tournament and was arrested after performing poorly on a field sobriety test. Romo was arrested by Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies after being stopped on a high-rise bridge while driving on Interstate 43, taken into custody after performing poorly on standardized field sobriety tests, with deputies noting red, glassy eyes and the smell of alcohol, and mini bottles of liquor found in his backpack.
Romo had been on indefinite leave from CBS's top NFL team for the entire season. Romo pleaded no contest to OWI charges on September 1. He had his driving privileges revoked for six months and was ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program and have an ignition interlock device installed on vehicles he owns or operates.
Following the plea, Romo wrote on Instagram, "This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely." He explained that multiple back surgeries ended his career earlier than expected and left him with constant, debilitating pain, which led to a dependence on pain medication and eventually an over-reliance on alcohol.
CBS and Romo's statements on the breakup
"CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward," CBS Sports said in the statement announcing Romo's departure.
For his part, Romo said, "I'm proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years. I approached my role as a game analyst the way I've approached everything in my life — with a desire to win and be the best that I can be." He added that he plans to "take a break, something I've never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity."
JJ Watt stays in the booth
The most immediate on-air consequence of the split had already taken shape over the past several weeks. JJ Watt took over No. 1 color duties on CBS' top NFL broadcasts through the first three weeks of the regular season. With Romo now officially gone, CBS confirmed that JJ Watt will continue to partner with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson on its lead announce team for the rest of the season, while all other teams remain the same, including Ian Eagle, Ross Tucker, and Evan Washburn.
Watt's rise to the top booth caps a fast transition from the playing field to broadcasting. Watt joined CBS Sports in 2023 as a studio analyst before moving to the NFL broadcast booth as part of the network's No. 2 broadcast team alongside Ian Eagle starting in 2025. His elevation to the lead team alongside Nantz marks a significant step up in just his second season calling games.
A record contract and an abrupt ending
Romo's exit closes the book on one of the most financially significant deals in sports broadcasting history. In 2020, CBS and Romo agreed to a 10-year contract reportedly worth $180 million. The mega-deal reset the entire sports broadcasting industry, paving the way for massive network contracts across American television that followed in the years after.
CBS had been notably cautious before making a final call. CBS Sports president David Berson said at the network's annual NFL talent media availability in August, "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."
What comes next
With the NFL season already underway and featured on CBS's NFL schedule, the network's top broadcast team is now settled for the remainder of 2026 with Watt, Nantz, and Wolfson. For Romo, no timetable has been given for a return to broadcasting or any other public role, though he has indicated he intends to pursue a future opportunity once his break concludes. Fans following other major storylines this week, including the Steelers-Browns Thursday night clash and the ongoing Buccaneers-Vikings aftermath, will now hear Watt's voice calling the league's biggest games going forward.