Tony Romo on Leave From CBS Sports After Arrest

CBS NFL commentator Tony Romo has taken a leave from the network following a recent arrest. Romo was arrested July 23 in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He was also cited for having an open bottle of alcohol in the SUV he was driving, unsafe passing on the right and refusing to take a test for intoxication after he was arrested. Romo was released later that night and is due for a court appearance on Sept. 21. “Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice,” the network said in a statement. Romo, a Wisconsin native, played in an amateur golf tournament the day of his arrest and told officers on the scene that he was on his way to “visit grandma and grandpa” when he was pulled over, based on body camera footage released from the arrest. Romo spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, taking over the starting quarterback job partway through the 2006 season and holding it for most of the next decade (aside from a couple seasons where he was sidelined with injuries). He has been CBS’ lead NFL analyst since 2017 and has called three Super Bowls alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. He is midway through a 10-year contract with CBS Sports that runs through 2030 and pays a reported $17 million per year. JJ Watt will join Nantz and reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS’ lead NFL team during Romo’s absence. The NFL regular season begins Sept. 9, a couple weeks before Romo’s scheduled court appearance. CBS has just one nationally televised preseason game on its schedule on Aug. 28, but its lead announcing team typically doesn’t work preseason contests. A first offense for operating a vehicle while intoxicated for Wisconsin carries the possibility of a driver’s license suspension and fines. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up