Entertainment
CBS Parts Ways With Longtime Broadcaster
Tony Romo’s run at CBS Sports is officially over.
The network announced Friday that it and the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback had “mutually agreed to part ways” after nine seasons together.
“We thank Tony for his contributions over the last nine years and wish him the best moving forward,” CBS said in a statement on Friday, Oct. 2.
Romo joined CBS in 2017 immediately after retiring from the NFL and was placed on the network’s top broadcast team alongside Jim Nantz.
The move was unusual at the time, but Romo quickly became one of the biggest names in sports broadcasting thanks to his energy and ability to break down defenses in real time.
His tenure took a major turn this summer after he was arrested in Wisconsin following a golf outing.
Romo was arrested July 23 and later pleaded no contest to three charges stemming from an operating a vehicle while intoxicated incident.
The charges included unsafe passing on the right, possessing open intoxicants and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
BREAKING: CBS and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways, in a statement released by the network.
Romo signed a 10-year $180 million contract with CBS in 2020, but pleaded no contest to a DWI charge following a July traffic stop in Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/cOAlnW2giN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 2, 2026
CBS placed Romo on indefinite leave shortly afterward.
The network then promoted former NFL star JJ Watt to the top booth alongside Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.
Watt will remain in that role for the rest of the season.
Tony Romo addressed his departure Friday in a statement reflecting on his nine years with CBS.
“I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years. 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,” Romo said in a statement. “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.”
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Romo’s departure also brings an early end to one of the richest broadcasting contracts in sports media.
He signed a 10-year, $180 million deal with CBS in 2020, a blockbuster agreement that helped reset the market for NFL television analysts.
Romo reportedly had four years and about $72 million remaining on the contract.
CBS Sports President David Berson had previously acknowledged that the network was weighing the impact of Romo’s arrest on its reputation.
“We have to consider the impact on our image and on our brand,” Berson said.
Watt, meanwhile, has quickly moved up the CBS broadcasting ladder.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year began his media career on “The NFL Today” before moving into game coverage.
He worked with Ian Eagle in 2025 and received strong reviews, which helped position him to take over when Romo was placed on leave.
“It’s not the circumstances you want something like this to happen under,” Watt told USA TODAY Sports in August. “But at the same time, it’s an opportunity for me to work with this incredible lead crew and … have an opportunity to be on the best crew and the best games.”
For Romo, the split closes a high-profile broadcasting chapter that began with immediate success and a record-setting contract before ending abruptly following his arrest and leave of absence.
