Nantz and Romo will be ready for Super Bowl LV – PHOTO FRPM AP
CBS Confirms Romo Departure
CBS Sports has made its biggest NFL television decision of the season official: Tony Romo is out, and J.J. Watt will remain Jim Nantz’s analyst partner on the network’s lead game team for the rest of the 2026 season.
CBS and Romo “mutually agreed to part ways,” ending a nine-year run that began in 2017 when the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback moved immediately into the network’s No. 1 booth following his retirement as a player. CBS thanked Romo for his contributions and wished him well.
Romo had been on leave from CBS since late July following his arrest in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating while intoxicated. He did not call a game during the opening three weeks of the regular season, creating an unexpected opening atop CBS’ most important NFL announce team.
Watt Keeps The Lead Job
Watt, who had been paired with Ian Eagle on CBS’ No. 2 team last season, was elevated to work alongside Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson when Romo went on leave. The network now has confirmed that arrangement will remain in place through the remainder of the season.
CBS said: “J.J. Watt will continue to partner with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson on our lead NFL announce team for the rest of the season.”
The key phrase is “for the rest of the season.” CBS did not announce a permanent long-term successor to Romo beyond 2026, leaving the network flexibility after the Super Bowl and playoff cycle. Still, the decision gives Watt a major audition in the highest-profile NFL booth at CBS, with the network’s marquee Sunday afternoon games and postseason assignments in front of him.
Watt and Nantz are scheduled to call the Week 4 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Tucker Stays With Eagle
The CBS statement also confirms that Ross Tucker will remain on the network’s No. 2 NFL team with play-by-play voice Ian Eagle and reporter Evan Washburn.
Tucker moved into that role after Watt was shifted to the lead crew. CBS had initially positioned the move as part of the lineup adjustment caused by Romo’s leave, but Friday’s announcement makes clear that the Eagle-Tucker-Washburn team will stay intact for the balance of the season.
CBS stated that “all other teams remain the same,” specifically naming Eagle, Tucker and Washburn. That ends immediate speculation about another midseason reshuffle and gives CBS stability in its top two booths.
A Significant CBS Reset
The decision represents a major reset for CBS’ NFL coverage. Romo entered broadcasting with immediate acclaim for his ability to identify formations, anticipate plays and explain quarterback decision-making in real time. He was quickly installed with Nantz after Phil Simms’ departure from the lead analyst role in 2017.
But the circumstances of his departure forced CBS to act quickly, and the network chose to promote from within rather than bring in an outside analyst. Watt’s elevation has also created a different booth identity: a defensive great working beside one of the defining play-by-play voices in network television.
For CBS, the near-term plan is now clear. Nantz, Watt and Wolfson will lead the NFL package. Eagle, Tucker and Washburn will serve as the No. 2 crew. The unresolved question is whether Watt has merely won the job for 2026 or has positioned himself to become Nantz’s permanent partner in the years ahead
