Since he burst onto the scene, Tony Romo has been the talk of the industry. Since 2017 Romo has been with CBS and in the number one booth alongside Jim Nantz. The reviews have been mainly positive over the course of his brief media career.
There have been some over the years who feel like Romo is unprepared from time to time during a broadcast. It was a reported concern of CBS earlier this year that Romo wasn’t studying enough for the games he was doing. Still Romo has been doing the job, getting by on personality and prognostication and that works, until it doesn’t.
I have to admit that my judgement in this column is based on the game I just watched last weekend. The Bears faced the Packers in a late afternoon kickoff at Lambeau Field. I was shocked when I heard that the CBS “A” Team of Nantz and Romo were doing the game. I know the Packers were on the verge of clinching a playoff spot, and it’s the oldest rivalry in the NFL, but I was still surprised. The Bears don’t normally garner the top broadcast team, with the exception of their appearances on Thursday, Sunday or Monday night games.
Watching the contest as I prepared for my hosting of WGN Radio’s Bears postgame show, I was struck by some of the odd commentary made by Romo. Was he watching the same team that I’ve covered all year? Luke “Getsky”, is not the Bears offensive coordinator. Luke Getsy is. More than once I heard that one. Romo also said that Getsy was doing a great job. The numbers and I beg to differ with Romo on that one. Yes, I’m nitpicking here, but it was the start of some very generic analysis when it came to the game.
There were times I thought that Romo went generic because he didn’t know all the storylines. Talking about the Bears 0-4 start, which was actually 14 straight losses, he mentioned something about Bears coach Matt Eberflus’ job being in jeopardy. The Bears have never fired a coach during a season. While it looked bleak, there wasn’t a chance of that actually happening. I realize that the Bears were not really the story in this game, it was the Packers and the chance to make the playoffs under Jordan Love. I get that. But there are two teams playing, and two fan bases watching the game. Balance is difficult but information is readily available.
I also understand that I’m watching the game with a more critical eye and ear, since the Bears are my hometown team and the group that I’ve covered for many years. The things that bothered me about the broadcast may not amount to a hill of beans for anyone else. But having been in the play-by-play chair before, I know how important preparation is for that role. It’s not just important, it’s critical. Nantz, as always was well prepared, smooth and in full control of the broadcast. I never doubt that, he’s one of the best to ever do games in the NFL.
Romo comes off as a bit of a wildcard at times. His personality is infectious. He genuinely seems to enjoy what he’s doing and his predicting of plays, before they’re run, is uncanny. But it’s not always about the personality. It’s also about the information and I’m not just talking about the X’s and O’s. He’s played the game at a high level. Take me inside the thought process of the quarterbacks. Tell me what Love was looking for in his receivers when he got pressured a few times. Romo started to get into what it was like for Love to sit and watch and learn from the previous starter. Humanize that.
When Romo was the Dallas starting QB, Dak Prescott was behind him. What did Romo do to help Prescott along? What did he say to him? There was so much there that was left untouched, it would have been great to hear the personal story. Even if it got contentious at times. It would have made for good television.
I thought Romo could have also added some insight into what Justin Fields is going through, not just physically but mentally with all the uncertainty he’s up against right now. Every quarterback has gone through that and Romo’s experience would have been nice to hear.
Romo did have his good moments during the game as well. Early in the second half, Love completed a 17-yard pass to wide receiver Bo Melton. Romo was gushing about the throw.
“Watch his leverage when he throws this ball,” Romo said as the truck rolled a replay of Love’s pass. “He throws it in a phone booth, Jim! It’s about a 30-yard throw for the Pythagorean theorem. That probably didn’t actually make sense there.”
The phone booth reference probably confused the Gen Z’ers and Millennials in the audience enough, but then Romo added a Pythagorean theorem reference.
“Can you explain that?” Nantz asked.
Romo explained, “a2 + b2 = c2, which means Jordan Love is good.”
“You’re a genius,” Nantz stated.
While these exchanges are entertaining, I’d love to see Romo use his experiences as a player more than he does. His cheery disposition in the booth will only take him so far, and there needs to be some substance. Specific analysis for the players who are on the field in that game.
That’s why I’m watching.
The gold standard in analysts is John Madden. I’m not saying that each needs to be him, what I am saying is Madden was the master of using his personality to help highlight game situations that he was prepared for. He had a way of “booming” and “wapping” his way through a replay, without distracting too much from the analysis of the play. You could tell that Madden was prepared, he had talked to coaches and had information on players that he could relate to his audience.
Once in a while Romo seems to get lost in his own ramblings. Sometimes that results in something pretty interesting and funny, but I wish that were the rule rather than the exception. He knows the game, there’s no doubt about that. Just watch him predict the next play. That’s a special talent. He has good insight. I just want to hear more of it, more of his own experiences as a QB in the NFL. Romo has all the intangibles to be a great analyst, but preparation is the key to a great broadcast, I hope he takes that to heart.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
