Tony Romo will not be in the CBS Sports booth to start the 2026-27 NFL season after an arrest in Milwaukee for operating while intoxicated (OWI).
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CBS Sports announced the news on Friday, July 31, with a statement to media members. The broadcaster also provided some further details about plans moving forward.
"Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice," the statement said. "JJ Watt will join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as CBS Sports' lead NFL team during Tony Romo's absence.
"We will release the remainder of our NFL On CBS roster at a later date."
Romo, 46, was arrested on Thursday, July 23. Police pulled him over as he traveled southbound on I-43. He then performed poorly on his field sobriety tests. He has a court date set for Sept. 21.
Records show that the former quarterback had an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. Officers also cited him for refusing "to take test for intoxication after arrest."
Romo has been the No. 1 analyst at CBS Sports since retiring from the NFL. He joined Nantz in the booth in 2017 and immediately sparked praise for an ability to predict plays before they happened. Phil Simms, who had been Nantz's partner, moved to the studio to provide analysis throughout NFL Sundays.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has remained in the booth with Nantz ever since. He has called conference championship games, as well as Super Bowls 53, 55, and 58.
Romo signed a multi-year extension in February 2020, which will take him through the 2030 NFL season barring any major changes. This deal pays him approximately $17 million per season.
Watt has spent the last few years working for the broadcaster after retiring from the NFL. He first worked as an analyst on The NFL Today. He held this role in 2023 and 2024.
Starting in 2025, Watt landed a promotion. He joined play-by-play man Ian Eagle on the broadcaster's No. 2 NFL team. Now, he will move up to the No. 1 team and join Nantz while Romo navigates his legal situation.
