Entertainment

Tony Romo and CBS Sports part ways after nine years

Putri ArdhanaPublished 2d ago2 min readBased on 7 sources
Tony Romo and CBS Sports part ways after nine years
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels

Tony Romo and CBS Sports have mutually agreed to part ways, ending his nine-year run as the network's lead NFL game analyst. The agreement was reported on Oct. 2, according to Deadline. The run is over.

CBS had placed Romo on leave in July following his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. The arrest happened on July 23 on a Wisconsin highway. Police found an open bottle of alcoholic beverage on the passenger side of his vehicle. He was taken into custody after field sobriety tests.

Romo later pleaded no contest to a civil charge of operating while intoxicated, as Reuters reported. A no-contest plea means a defendant does not fight the charge without entering a formal guilty plea. Romo has said he accepts "full responsibility for his actions" in connection with the July arrest, according to Reuters. That statement was made in August, before the plea was resolved.

In a statement on his departure, Romo said he plans to take a break to focus on his health and family. He said he will consider his next opportunity after that break. He did not set a date for a return to broadcasting.

CBS has moved JJ Watt into Romo's former seat. Watt will continue with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on the lead NFL announce team for the rest of the season. That team is the three-person crew that calls the network's featured game each week. Viewers will hear that combination on Sundays through the end of the campaign.

Romo joined CBS Sports in April 2017, straight after retiring from playing. He had spent 14 years with the Dallas Cowboys, according to CBS Sports. Starting with the 2017-18 season, he teamed with Nantz and Wolfson on NFL ON CBS and Thursday Night Football coverage. The analyst role, explaining decisions and tactics from the booth as the game unfolds, made him a weekly presence for millions.

For fans, this means a change at the top of the broadcast. Nantz and Wolfson remain in place. Watt holds the analyst chair for the rest of the season.

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