CBS just pulled Tony Romo off the air [5M4ooODA69i]
CBS Sports has placed lead NFL analyst Tony Romo on indefinite leave, and named J.J. Watt to the network's No. 1 broadcast team in his place. THE ARREST Romo was arrested on suspicion of OWI in Milwaukee on the night of Thursday, July 23. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, he was stopped on Interstate 43 after being seen passing cars in a gore area — the painted zone that separates interstate traffic from an entering on-ramp. Deputies took him into custody after he performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests. Three citations were released. One notes an open bottle of an alcoholic beverage found on the passenger side of Romo's black Jeep during an inventory before it was towed. Romo, a Burlington, Wisconsin native, had been in the state playing in the Wisconsin Amateur Championship in West Bend, held July 20-23. He is due in court September 21. CBS had no comment on the arrest itself. THE CONTRACT In 2020 Romo signed what was reported as a 10-year extension worth roughly $17 million to $18 million annually — about $180 million total — making him the highest-paid sports analyst in television history. The previous NFL high was John Madden at roughly $8 million per year. THE REPLACEMENT J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, joined CBS as a studio analyst in 2023 after retiring and worked his way into a game analyst role. This is his first assignment on the lead team, alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson — the booth Romo has held since 2017. THE OPEN QUESTION Romo has not been convicted of anything, and a citation is not a verdict. But his court date falls on September 21 — Week 3 of the NFL season. "Indefinite" is carrying a lot of weight in that announcement. Sources: Bleacher Report, Sports Media Watch, Variety, FOX6 Milwaukee, CBS Texas, ESPN Images: CBS Sports (Romo, Watt), Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office body camera #TonyRomo #JJWatt #CBSSports #NFL #JimNantz #NFLonCBS