CBS NFL commentator Tony Romo has officially been placed on leave by the network following his highly-publicized OWI arrest in Wisconsin. But if CBS plans on firing him, they had better call in a Brinks trunk.
“Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice,” a network rep reportedly told Page Six on Friday. Neither Romo nor his own reps have commented on the matter since news of it first broke.
For the time being, CBS analyst J.J. Watt will be filling in for Romo alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.
But if CBS plans on letting Romo go entirely, they're going to be on the hook for a ton of money. Per Ari Meirov, Romo has over $70 million and four years left on his current contract with the network.
"Tony Romo has north of $70M and at least four years remaining on his contract with CBS," Meirov wrote.
Of course, the damage to CBS' wallet might be mitigated substantially if Romo's contract contains a morals clause, termination clause or something in that vein.
Whatever decision CBS made had to have been made with the help of lawyers to make sure they aren't effectively flushing $70 million down the toilet.
Romo's Incident
Romo was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2026, on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI).
According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, deputies stopped Romo on Interstate 43 after observing alleged unsafe passing and lane deviations. Officers reported that Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests before taking him into custody. Authorities also cited him for possessing an open container of alcohol in his vehicle and for unsafe passing on the right.
Romo was booked into the Milwaukee County Jail and released later that evening. Under Wisconsin law, a first-offense OWI is generally handled as a civil offense rather than a criminal charge, though it can still result in substantial fines and license-related penalties. Romo is scheduled to appear in court on September 21.
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
Body camera footage later released by authorities showed Romo cooperating with officers for much of the encounter, though reports indicated he refused a chemical intoxication test after his arrest.
In the aftermath, Romo withdrew from a scheduled golf tournament in Texas, and CBS Sports announced that he would take a leave of absence while the legal process unfolds. The case remains pending.
