Tony Romo, the lead analyst for CBS's NFL coverage, has been placed on leave following his arrest on July 23 for suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence. CBS Sports made this announcement on Friday, stating that Romo will remain on leave "until further notice." During his absence, former NFL player J.J. Watt will join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as part of CBS Sports' lead NFL broadcast team.
The arrest occurred in Wisconsin when Romo was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43. According to a report from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Romo did not perform well on field sobriety tests and was subsequently taken into custody, booked, and later released. His court date is scheduled for September 21.
CBS Sports issued its announcement after citations from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office revealed the presence of an open bottle of alcohol found in the passenger side of Romo's black Jeep during an inventory examination before it was towed. Police initially stopped him after witnessing him passing cars in a gore area, which is a section that separates interstate traffic from vehicles entering from an on-ramp. Interestingly, Romo questioned what a gore area was during the stop.
Body camera footage released earlier this week showed Romo informing deputies that he had been coming from a golf course and was on his way "to visit grandma and grandpa" when the traffic stop occurred. A deputy indicated that he suspected Romo was impaired due to his "red glassy eyes" and the "odour of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage" that emanated from him.
Romo, 46, is a native of Burlington, Wisconsin, which is situated approximately 35 miles from Milwaukee. He has been the lead game analyst for CBS’s NFL coverage since 2017. Before his broadcasting career, Romo enjoyed a successful NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, where he made four Pro Bowl appearances from 2004 to 2016. He is the franchise leader in career touchdown passes, with 248, and held the record for career passing yards at 34,183 until Dak Prescott surpassed him last season.
J.J. Watt, who joined CBS in 2023, had previously served as an analyst on The NFL Today for two seasons. He began teaming with Ian Eagle on CBS's No. 2 crew last season. As for Romo, he was not expected to make his first appearance of the new season until the opening Sunday, which is set for September 13. CBS is scheduled to air a preseason game on August 28, featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the coming weeks, CBS will likely announce its game assignments and announcer pairings for the first three weeks of the regular season. The network's decision to place Romo on leave signifies the gravity of the situation, highlighting the ongoing challenges and scrutiny faced by public figures regarding their conduct.
