CBS broadcaster Tony Romo has continued to face plenty of public backlash for his ill-prepared and uninspiring performances during NFL broadcasts.
It seems CBS has taken notice to Romo’s decline from a once insightful broadcaster to one who now relies on cringeworthy reactions as the game unfolds in front of him. The latter was most recently on display during Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, and fans let him have it on social media.
Well, according to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, members of CBS management spoke with Romo prior to the 2022 campaign in hopes the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback would improve his pregame preparation.
“Tony Romo needs to study more. He needs to be better prepared ’cause as you move away from the sidelines, it’s not studying tape, you need to do more work,” Marchand said Wednesday his “The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast.”
“I know CBS is aware of this. They tried an intervention last offseason,” Marchand continued. “They knew, they anticipated this. So that’s a credit to them, the people in charge there. But it has not gotten better and it’s a problem.”
The well-compensated Romo signed a 10-year, $180 million deal with CBS in March 2020.
Marchand also hinted there might be some trouble in paradise between Romo and CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz. Marchand called Nantz “all about Nantz,” and reflected on Romo’s rise to prominence on the broadcast.
“This was the narrative out of CBS when Romo was getting all of the publicity. You heard from Nantz’ side and people from CBS that Nantz was the one creating Romo,” Marchand said. “And so the issue now is, why isn’t Nantz helping Romo get to this next level?”
The Romo decline, however, is just one headline capturing the sports broadcasting industry. The retirement of legendary quarterback Tom Brady on Wednesday has many thinking Brady will replace Greg Olsen on FOX’s top team, despite the positive reviews of Olsen ramping up in recent weeks. Brady reportedly signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX Sports last offseason, shattering Romo’s deal and the contracts of others.
Perhaps football fans who have had enough of Romo can find some comfort in knowing his NFL season is over. FOX has the broadcast rights to Super Bowl LVII at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium between the Philadelphia Eagles and AFC champion Chiefs.
