Tony Romo Placed on Leave from CBS Sports Following Arrest

Tony Romo has been placed on leave as the lead analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage. This decision follows his recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.

CBS Sports announced that the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback will be on leave “until further notice.” During Romo’s absence, JJ Watt will take on the role alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as part of CBS’ lead NFL team.

The arrest happened on July 23. Romo was stopped while driving on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Romo failed field sobriety tests before being taken into custody. He has been released and has a court date set for September 21.

Reports indicate an open bottle of an alcoholic beverage was discovered in the passenger seat of Romo’s black Jeep when it was inventoried before being towed. Police reported stopping Romo after observing him passing cars in a gore area, which is meant to separate interstate traffic from cars entering from an on-ramp. Romo reportedly asked about the meaning of a gore area during the stop.

Body camera footage showed Romo explaining to deputies that he was coming from a golf course and heading to visit family when stopped. A deputy noted Romo’s “red glassy eyes” and the “odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage” as signs of impairment.

Romo, 46, originally hails from Burlington, Wisconsin, about 35 miles from Milwaukee. He has served as CBS’ lead game analyst since 2017 after concluding an NFL career with the Cowboys, during which he earned four Pro Bowl appearances. Romo remains the franchise’s leader in career touchdown passes and held the record for passing yards until recently surpassed by Dak Prescott.

JJ Watt joined CBS in 2023, previously working as an analyst on “The NFL Today” and later partnering with Ian Eagle on CBS’ No. 2 crew. Romo was scheduled to start his new season as an analyst on September 13. CBS plans to broadcast a preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles on August 28. Announcer pairings and game assignments for the first three weeks of the regular season will be shared by CBS in the coming weeks.