Dave Portnoy has made up his mind. The Barstool Sports founder says Tony Romo’s run atop CBS Sports is finished.
What We Know: CBS Sports placed Tony Romo on leave “until further notice” following his July 23 arrest. J.J. Watt will fill in alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson meanwhile. Deputies said Romo failed field sobriety tests and had an open container in his vehicle. He now faces a September court date as his CBS future hangs in question. Portnoy said on Monday’s episode of Wake Up Barstool that he doesn’t envision Romo getting his old job back.
What They Said: (All quotes via Wake Up Barstool)
Dave Portnoy believes that CBS Sports wants to get rid of Tony Romo: “They want to get rid of [Tony] Romo. This decision was made within 0.2 seconds of this incident happening. They were clearly looking for an out, and Romo let him through the door. This is a no brainer. If they thought Romo was doing a good job and they want to keep him, Romo would keep his job.”
Dave Portnoy says others have survived what Tony Romo did being arrested on suspicion of OWI: “Guys have survived way, way, way less than this, and kept their jobs and moved without a beat. They wanted to replace them, and he gave them a reason. Guys have survived way more than this, and with no issue. They wanted to get rid of him, no doubt.”
Dave Portnoy believes Tony Romo won’t have a top role calling NFL games: “He’ll never get his job back. He may be at CBS because maybe I don’t know what the legality of it is. But he will never get that number one chair back. Never.”
What Remains Unclear: CBS hasn’t confirmed whether Romo returns this season. It’s also unclear if Watt’s role is temporary or permanent.
What It Means: Portnoy’s comments reflect growing skepticism about Romo’s standing at CBS. Even before the arrest, critics questioned his energy and performance in the booth. Now, many wonder if Watt becomes the network’s new face. Either way, Romo’s next move could reshape the CBS booth for years.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.