If the AFC Championship Game was any sort of dress rehearsal for Super Bowl LVIII, it’s fair to think football fans could be in for a long night of Tony Romo.
While on the CBS broadcast alongside Jim Nantz on Sunday afternoon, the former quarterback turned color commentator consistently offered questionable comments and even made a few of his bizarre noises that many point and laugh at.
At one point, Nantz asked the $18 million man if he thought the Ravens should attempt an onside kick and Romo passed the buck to fellow CBS analyst and former kicker Jay Feely.
It was far from the only puzzling Romo interaction, though.
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On what proved to be a crucial play with 49 seconds left in the third quarter, Ravens wideout Zay Flowers committed an inexcusable taunting penalty against Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. After making a 54-yard reception, Flowers got to his feet, pushed Sneed back to the ground and proceeded to flip the football in his face as a way of showboating. Everyone watching from home probably knew the call was coming before the yellow flag indication appeared on the screen.
Romo seemingly didn’t.
“Oh?” Romo said with hesitation in his voice upon seeing the replay.
He continued, overlooking the push and citing the flipped football: “Oh, the ball. The ball right there.”
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Nantz made it clear he had a different view of the play than Romo.
“No, it’s all of this,” Nantz responded. “It’s everything. It’s the ball, it’s standing over his opponent.”
Romo then backtracked a bit and added: “Yeah, can’t stand over your opponent like you said.”
Nantz even asked CBS rules official Gene Steratore if the play was “indisputable,” which Steratore confirmed. Nance and Steratore were clearly on the same page, but Romo might not have been.
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Romo’s “like you said” sentiment was a popular one, too. Countless times during the broadcast Nantz would give Romo a lead-in and that would be his initial response.
Another head-scratching comment came on a highlight-reel play from Lamar Jackson in the first half. Jackson had his pass deflected into the air, only to out-race a pair of Chiefs defenders and catch the ball himself. While it caused quite the reaction on social media — and it was a cool backyard-like play — Romo’s sentiments still felt like a bit of a stretch.
“That’s one of the greatest plays I’ve ever seen!” Romo exclaimed. “This is intercepted 100%… by the Chiefs’ Reid. And Lamar uses the instincts, the God-given gifts, the awareness to go beat him to the punt and makes one of the greatest plays you will ever see in a championship game.”
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The punt reference was more of a tongue-and-cheek joke which both Nantz and Romo chuckled at, but the “greatest play” recognition felt a bit too much for the game. Romo also couldn’t put together the “100%” line, and obviously it’s not intercepted 100% if, well, it’s not even intercepted.
Additionally, with 14:22 left and the Chiefs leading 17-7, Romo said: “Every time Baltimore gets something little going, Kansas City just shuts it down. I mean, that’s the game. It’s not over but …” He went against himself in real-time, which was almost to the point of impressive.
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At least football fans only have one more game of Romo this season, right? Unfortunately it just happens to be the network’s biggest one since 2021, and after it CBS won’t host the Super Bowl until 2028.
Featured image via Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports Images
