CBS Sports Announced Tony Romo’s Permanent Exit After Intoxicated Driving Case/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ CBS Sports announced Friday that it and Tony Romo mutually agreed to end his nine-year tenure as the network’s lead NFL analyst. The announcement followed his July arrest in Wisconsin and September no-contest plea to operating a vehicle while intoxicated. JJ Watt will continue alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson, while Romo says he will focus on his health and family.
Quick Look
- Permanent departure: CBS Sports and Romo announced a mutual agreement to part ways.
- Broadcasting tenure: The former Cowboys quarterback joined CBS’ lead NFL broadcast team in 2017.
- Replacement: JJ Watt will remain the lead analyst alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.
- Wisconsin arrest: Romo was arrested July 23 following a traffic stop on Interstate 43.
- No-contest plea: He entered the plea Sept. 1 to operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
- Court requirements: His driving privileges were revoked for six months, and he was ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program.
- Health concerns: Romo said chronic pain following back surgeries contributed to dependence on pain medication and an over-reliance on alcohol.
- Next steps: He plans to take a break and work with doctors before pursuing another opportunity.
Deep Look
CBS Confirms the End of Romo’s Broadcasting Tenure
CBS Sports and Tony Romo have ended their partnership, making permanent the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback’s departure from the network’s lead NFL broadcast team.
The announcement Friday came about a month after Romo pleaded no contest to operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He had been on leave since his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin.
“CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways,” CBS Sports said Friday in a statement. “We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”
Romo had served as CBS’ lead NFL game analyst since 2017, beginning his broadcasting career after retiring from professional football.
JJ Watt Will Remain on the Lead NFL Team
JJ Watt, who took over during Romo’s absence, will continue as the analyst on CBS’ top NFL broadcast team.
He will work alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. CBS said its other broadcast teams will remain unchanged.
The decision settles the lead analyst position following Romo’s leave and subsequent departure.
Romo Says He Will Focus on His Health and Family
In a statement responding to the announcement, Romo expressed pride in his work at CBS and said he intends to step away before deciding what comes next.
“I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years,” Romo said in a statement. “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. I’m going to use this time 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. I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans.”
He did not identify a future employer or announce a timetable for returning to broadcasting.
Wisconsin Arrest Led to a No-Contest Plea
Romo’s arrest followed a traffic stop while he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin.
On Sept. 1, he pleaded no contest to operating while intoxicated and publicly apologized for the conduct that led to his arrest.
According to Milwaukee County court records, he lost his driving privileges for six months and was ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program.
“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant,” Romo said Sept. 1 in a statement on Instagram. “It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully — to the Lord, to myself, to my family and now to the public.”
Romo Describes Chronic Pain and Substance Dependence
In his September statement, Romo connected his health struggles to the multiple back surgeries that preceded his retirement from football.
Those surgeries, he said, “left me with constant, debilitating pain.”
He said that pain “led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”
Romo emphasized that those circumstances did not excuse his actions.
“None of this is an excuse,” Romo said. “These are my failures and I take responsibility for them.”
He also said he was working with a team of doctors to address his health and “make the necessary changes.”
A Cowboys Career Followed by Nine Years at CBS
Romo, 46, spent his entire NFL playing career with Dallasfrom 2004 through 2016, and earned four Pro Bowl selections.
He moved into CBS’ lead analyst position in 2017 and remained in that role until his leave this summer. Friday’s announcement closes that chapter as he prepares to concentrate on his recovery and family.
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