Tony Romo has been placed on leave as the lead analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage after his recent arrest. Last week, Romo was apprehended on suspicion of driving under the influence. CBS Sports announced on Friday that the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback will be on leave ‘until further notice.’
JJ Watt is set to join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as part of CBS Sports’ lead NFL team in Romo’s absence. The arrest occurred on July 23, when Romo was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office reported that Romo failed field sobriety tests, leading to his arrest and subsequent release. Romo has a court date scheduled for September 21.
CBS Sports’ announcement follows citations from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. These indicated that an open alcoholic beverage was found in Romo’s vehicle during an inventory before towing. Officers observed Romo passing cars in a gore area, which separates interstate lanes from on-ramp traffic. Romo reportedly asked about the definition of a gore area during the stop.
Body camera footage released earlier this week showed Romo speaking to deputies. He stated he had been driving from a golf course and intended to visit his grandparents. A deputy noted suspicion of impairment due to Romo’s ‘red glassy eyes’ and the ‘odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage.’ Romo attended high school in Burlington, Wisconsin, about 35 miles from Milwaukee.
Romo has been CBS’ lead game analyst since 2017, following his NFL career from 2004-2016 with Dallas. He is the Cowboys’ franchise leader in career touchdown passes, totaling 248. Romo held the record for career passing yards at 34,183 until Dak Prescott surpassed this last season.
Watt joined CBS in 2023, serving as an analyst on ‘The NFL Today’ for two seasons before teaming up with Ian Eagle on the network’s secondary crew. Romo wasn’t slated to start his analyst role until September 13, coinciding with the regular season’s opening Sunday. CBS has announced it will broadcast a preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles on August 28. Announcer pairings and game assignments for the first three weeks of the regular season are expected to be revealed by CBS in the coming weeks.
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