Tony Romo's job security at CBS called into question with J.J. Watt in the booth

Tony Romo's job security at CBS called into question with J.J. Watt in the booth originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tony Romo built his broadcasting career on predicting plays before they happened, reading offenses so well that fans nicknamed him "Romostradamus" in his early CBS years. He never saw this one coming.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has sat atop CBS's NFL booth since 2017, working alongside Jim Nantz through two Super Bowls and a reported 10-year, $180 million contract. But a July arrest in Milwaukee has opened the door for someone else to take his spot, and the door may not close again.

Romo was arrested in Milwaukee on July 23 on suspicion of operating while intoxicated after failing field sobriety tests and refusing a breathalyzer. CBS placed him on leave eight days later, with no timeline for a return. His court date is set for Sept. 21.

NFL insider Evan Sidney summarized new reporting from Front Office Sports this week which described the No. 1 booth job as now belonging to J.J. Watt to lose.

“Tony Romo could be demoted by CBS to their No. 2 NFL broadcast team, if J.J. Watt does well alongside Jim Nantz in September. If Romo doesn’t accept a demotion after his return from an OWI, if Watt thrives, he could ultimately leave CBS,” he wrote.

Watt has already called a practice game alongside Jim Nantz, with people inside the building describing the early chemistry as strong. CBS appears to be planning for an extended Nantz-Watt pairing, with little reason to switch again in 2027 if Romo's absence becomes permanent.

Romo's exit options are limited. Boomer Esiason has argued that a return to a lesser role isn't realistic, since CBS already filled its No. 2 booth and studio desk, leaving the network with little middle ground between reinstating him and cutting ties entirely.

Watt addressed the situation directly this week after staying quiet since the leave began. The media has covered the broader fallout from Romo's arrest, including fan reaction to CBS's season promo that noticeably featured Nantz without him.

"Haven't said much because it's not the circumstances you'd hope it would happen under," Watt wrote. "But I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity." He added that he was looking forward to working with Nantz, Tracy Wolfson, and the rest of the lead crew; other media also previously detailed Romo's declining reviews in the booth over the past two seasons.

Watt's first regular-season assignment with the top crew is expected to be the Packers-Vikings game in Week 1, giving CBS an early public test of the new pairing.

CBS President David Berson has called the situation evolving with no set timetable, leaving Romo's long-term future with the network tied entirely to how the next several weeks unfold.

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