Tony Romo won't be getting ready for the start of the 2026 NFL regular season with the rest of CBS.
CBS is set to open the 2026 NFL regular season next month. However, Romo won't be joining the network. Romo, fresh off an arrest for suspicion of OWI, is being sidelined by the company. J.J. Watt will be taking his place in the broadcasting booth, alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.
Romo, who has been CBS's No. 1 NFL in-game analyst since 2017, is expected to return at some point in 2026. However, at this point, it's unclear when that'll be. But, one thing is now clear: CBS is not going to be publicly promoting Romo in the meantime.
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The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Romo has been barred from attending CBS's media days ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
"CBS will have its NFL Media Day in Manhattan on Tuesday, and much of the focus is expected to center around someone who will not be there — Tony Romo," Andrew Marchand reported.
"CBS has had all of its on-air and key production people at its Manhattan studios for the past two days as it prepares for the season. CBS had previously announced that Romo was on leave 'until further notice,' which includes not being in New York this week."
Questions remain about Romo's future at CBS
Many do not believe that Romo will ultimately be fired for his arrest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“I don’t want to act like it’s not a big deal, because it is. But it’s not going to get him fired,” one unnamed executive told The Daily Mail.
However, it's still up in the air.
“Thankfully, Tony didn’t hurt himself or anyone else, and most importantly, no lives were lost. He knows he made a terrible decision and is well aware of it and he knows he disappointed not only himself, but those he works with and family,” the second source told them.
“He contacted his bosses almost immediately to let them know what had happened because he understood the story would spread quickly once it became public. He’s already canceled his appearance at the golf tournament he was scheduled to attend and play in, and over the next few weeks he’s looking to keep a low profile while focusing on getting himself ready for the upcoming season.
“In the meantime, he’ll deal with the legal process, comply with whatever the court decides, and let his attorneys handle the situation as they work toward resolving the matter. His goal is to put this behind him as quickly as possible.
“As for his job, he won’t be fired. While the incident is unquestionably serious, those around him view it as an isolated lapse in judgment rather than something that defines him.”
