What Tony Romo's leave means for CBS' NFL coverage

Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times on Aug 11, 2026

Published in Football

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LOS ANGELES — There is no timetable for NFL analyst Tony Romo's return to CBS Sports, the division's president David Berson said Tuesday.

Romo was placed on leave by CBS after he was arrested in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated on July 23. JJ Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will work alongside Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson as CBS' lead broadcast team during Romo's absence.

No decision has been made on Romo's long-term future at the network, Berson told journalists at the network's annual press briefing on the NFL season at parent company Paramount's New York headquarters.

Berson called Romo's legal matters "an evolving situation." He added that naming Watt, who joined CBS as an NFL analyst in 2023, as an interim replacement was necessary as the first kickoff is a month away.

"Since it continues to evolve, and we're on the eve of the season," Berson said "I felt it's very important that our team, the many, many hundreds of people work on the NFL and CBS, have certainty and direction, so we can definitively plan and focus on the production and marketing as we kick off the season."

Romo has a court hearing scheduled for Sept. 21. He was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and received citations for having an open container in a moving vehicle and unsafe passing.

Romo joined CBS as an NFL analyst in 2017. He had a 14-year career as a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys. He led the team to six playoff appearances and was named to the Pro Bowl team four times.