According to a recent report, several NFL teams expect Tony Romo to ditch his new broadcasting gig and return to play quarterback at some point next season.
Well, don’t tell that to CBS.
The network is very high on Romo’s potential as a broadcaster and is interested in expanding the former Dallas Cowboys QB’s role beyond his lead NFL analyst position, Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News reported in a column Saturday.
“In the two months since it hired him, CBS is even higher on Romo,” Raissman wrote, “and is ready to roll with him in the booth with (play-by-play man Jim) Nantz on Sundays AND the five-game ‘TNF’ package.”
In sum: CBS wants Romo to work the five “Thursday Night Football” games it owns the rights to in 2017 in addition to calling the network’s marquee game every Sunday.
That’s no small development, according to Raissman, especially since the NFL just lifted its policy requiring networks to use their No. 1 broadcasting teams for Thursday night games.
Nantz and Romo are CBS’ current A-team, but if the network wanted to ease the 37-year-old into broadcasting, they could have had him only work Sunday games and put a different crew on Thursday nights under the league’s new policy. Instead, it appears they’re doubling down on Romo and throwing him “into the deep end of the pool” by giving him primetime games, as well.
So, be prepared to see a whole lot of Tony Romo in 2017 — in the booth, not on the field.
Thumbnail photo via Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports Images
