CBS Sports placed Tony Romo on indefinite leave after his July 23 arrest for driving under the influence in Milwaukee and has named J.J. Watt as his temporary replacement on the network’s No. 1 NFL broadcast team, raising questions about whether Romo will ever reclaim the role.
Industry sources tell Front Office Sports they increasingly doubt Romo will keep his job as CBS’s lead NFL color commentator.
Exercising it would allow CBS to exit the remaining $72 million obligation and replace him with the less expensive Watt. The network just completed its most-watched NFL season with Romo as lead analyst, yet the timing—weeks before the 2026 season—has not deterred speculation of a change.
Several expect Watt, who earned strong reviews in his first season alongside play-by-play partner Ian Eagle, to permanently take over in a Wally Pipp–style succession. Outside candidates such as Fox Sports’ Greg Olsen, the No. 2 analyst behind Tom Brady who has already called a Super Bowl and expressed interest in a top network role, are also in play.
Romo has four years remaining on the 10-year, $180 million contract he signed with CBS in 2020. The deal includes a morals clause, according to The Athletic.
Widely viewed TMZ Sports police-camera footage of Romo failing field sobriety tests has amplified the damage. As one of the premier faces and voices of the NFL, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback’s arrest risks tarnishing the league’s image with corporate sponsors.
Under Wisconsin law, Romo’s first-offense operating-while-intoxicated charge is treated as a civil rather than criminal matter. Early signals suggested he might return, but the combination of financial incentives, public embarrassment, and available alternatives has shifted industry expectations against him.