CBS Sports kicked off a massive industry spending spree when it lured former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to its NFL booth in 2017. Now the sports outlet is likely to tamp down on costs by parting ways with the celebrated color commentator.
“CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward,” the company said in a statement Friday. JJ Watt, who has filled in for Romo so far this season, will continue to do so alongside regulars Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.
Romo in September pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated stemming from an incident that took place in Milwaukee in July, and expressed hope that he’d be able to resume his NFL duties for the Paramount Skydance broadcast network. CBS Sports placed the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback on leave after he was arrested following a traffic stop made on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin.
On Friday, the announcer said he would “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.” He expressed pride in “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.”
Popular on Variety
Romo’s departure from CBS Sports may raise more questions than it answers. His exit opens a prime position during the network’s NFL season at a time when that sports has become even more critical to the fortunes of the company soon to be known as Skydance — the parent company formed from the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The merged company will carry billions in debt, which could crimp its ability to spend heavily on new talent.
TV-sports outlets have been pouring out money to lure top NFL announcers, with Fox and Disney shelling out top dollar to lure, respectively, Tom Brady and Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. Many top announcers’ contracts are expected to lapse after the end of this season, including not only Aikman’s, but Greg Olsen at Fox, and Al Michaels at Amazon. The Athletic has reported that ESPN has secured Buck to a new deal and that Amazon has signed Kirk Herbstreit, who also calls college game at ESPN, to provisional terms. ESPN and Amazon declined to comment on the status of those announcers’ deals.
More to come….
