Tony Romo Sidelined by CBS Following July 23 OWI Arrest in Milwaukee

CBS Sports has placed lead NFL analyst Tony Romo on indefinite leave following his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence in Wisconsin.

CBS Sports confirmed on Friday that lead NFL analyst Tony Romo has been placed on leave until further notice following his July 23 arrest on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The network announced that J.J. Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will ascend to the lead game analyst position. Watt is scheduled to join veteran play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson for the upcoming broadcast slate. This internal shift follows Watt’s transition to a game analyst role during the previous season after he initially joined the network in 2023.

Key details

Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a traffic stop involving the 46-year-old Romo after observing a black Jeep navigating through a gore area—the triangular zone separating interstate lanes from entering traffic. The incident occurred on a Tuesday evening as the vehicle moved past other motorists in the restricted space. Upon approaching the driver, law enforcement officials discovered an open container of alcohol within the cabin of the Jeep. The sheriff's department subsequently issued three specific citations related to the encounter on the interstate.

Body camera footage released by authorities documented the interaction between the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and the responding deputies. During the exchange, Romo stated he was traveling from a local golf course with the intention of visiting his grandparents. The reporting officer noted in the official documentation that the driver displayed red, glassy eyes and that a distinct odor of an intoxicating beverage emanated from the vehicle. Following a series of field sobriety tests, which the deputy described as being performed poorly, Romo was taken into custody and transported for booking.

Legal records from Milwaukee County indicate that Romo faces a citation for refusing to submit to a chemical test for intoxication. This refusal typically carries administrative penalties in the state of Wisconsin independent of the primary OWI charge. The retired athlete was released from custody shortly after the booking process was completed. A court date has been formally scheduled for September 21 to address the pending citations and the circumstances surrounding the July 23 stop.

Latest developments

Statistically, Romo concluded his 13-season tenure with the Dallas Cowboys (2004–2016) as one of the most productive passers in the history of the organization. He maintains the franchise record for career passing touchdowns with 248 scoring strikes. Additionally, he accumulated 34,183 passing yards during his time in Texas, a mark that stood as the club record until Dak Prescott eclipsed the total during the 2023 campaign. The four-time Pro Bowl selection grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin, a municipality situated roughly 35 miles southwest of the Milwaukee site where the arrest took place.

Since his retirement from active play in 2017, Romo has served as the primary color commentator for CBS’s marquee NFL games. His arrival in the broadcast booth was marked by immediate acclaim for his ability to predict offensive plays before the snap. However, the current legal situation has prompted the network to distance itself from the analyst as the judicial process unfolds. The official statement from CBS did not provide a specific duration for the leave of absence, leaving the broadcast lineup for the mid-season games in the hands of the Nantz-Watt-Wolfson trio.

J.J. Watt’s elevation to the top booth represents a rapid ascent for the former Houston Texans star. Having retired from the NFL following the 2022 season, Watt has spent the last year diversifying his media presence. His new role alongside Nantz places him in the position to call the network’s most high-profile weekly matchups. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office continues to process the evidence gathered from the body camera footage and the roadside observations recorded during the July incident. The Associated Press and local Milwaukee outlets provided the foundational details regarding the citations and the subsequent network response.