Tony Romo made a mistake. We all make them. However, being a celebrity comes with heightened responsibility. It’s not necessarily fair, but public figures are judged differently than the average person. You could say if Tony Romo were a mechanic, he’d already be back at work. Nothing against being a mechanic. It’s a trade I wish I knew more about, and one that has tremendous value as a profession.
But Tony Romo must play by a different set of rules because of his chosen profession. Being a highly paid NFL analyst is a career unlike that of 99.9% of the working public. However, many are already calling for the end of Romo’s tenure at CBS following his recent arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated. Judgment is being handed down before anyone considers whether he deserves a second chance. In all honesty, he should.
None of this excuses the decision that Romo made to put himself in this position. Driving while impaired can have devastating consequences, and anyone accused of it should be held accountable. Accountability, however, isn’t the same as ending someone’s career before the legal process has run its course.
The incident itself was embarrassing. The video doesn’t lie. Romo’s behavior wasn’t confrontational, but it was evident he was overcautious with every request and exercise. He likely knew the moment he was pulled over that the spotlight was on him. He had to perform well, ask the right questions, and do his best to make the situation easier for CBS executives to manage after the fact.
Romo didn’t resist, fight back, or even truly complain. In fact, his actions made it just another day at the office for the officers involved.
If you’re CBS Sports, that’s exactly the outcome you would hope for if an incident like that occurred. Now comes the business side of it all. What should CBS Sports do?
Results Over Noise
Placing Romo on leave until further notice was the right move. Acknowledge that your top analyst made a mistake, keep the public statement simple, and allow the legal process to unfold. There is just over a month before the start of the regular season, giving CBS Sports time to navigate the situation with Romo.
Has some of Tony Romo’s shine worn off since signing his 10-year, $180 million contract in 2020? Sure. Most analysts who come out of the gate red hot eventually regress. Romo’s style was different, and it was celebrated because of it.
As that style becomes more familiar, the appetite for criticism naturally grows.
Romo is no longer the fresh face. He’s now viewed more as the grizzled veteran. Some observers believe his ability to predict plays has become less impressive over time, his enthusiasm isn’t quite what it once was, and he spends too much time praising star players rather than providing deeper analysis.
The results say otherwise.
This past season, the NFL on CBS remained television’s highest-rated NFL package, averaging 25.8 million viewers. It marked the third straight year at the top of the NFL broadcast landscape. The Thanksgiving broadcast featuring Jim Nantz and Romo attracted 57.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever.
Romo is also no longer the highest-paid NFL analyst. Troy Aikman earns the same salary at ESPN, while Tom Brady makes more than twice as much at FOX Sports. Yet Romo continues to deliver when it comes to audience performance. Detractors will always have something to say, but 25 million viewers each week suggest CBS is doing just fine with Romo.
J.J. Watt has quickly shown the potential to become an outstanding television analyst. This fill-in opportunity benefits Watt, CBS Sports, and Romo himself. Athletes are fiercely competitive and hate losing their spot, even when circumstances are beyond their control. Just ask Greg Olsen, who lost the top chair when Tom Brady arrived at FOX Sports.
Sometimes, though, difficult situations create opportunities to reinforce the importance of accountability and improvement.
The Answer Is Simple
So, should a first-time arrest on suspicion of OWI in Wisconsin erase everything Romo has accomplished at CBS Sports?
He’s been a model hire. He rarely creates headlines, stays off social media, and wasn’t a nuisance to the officers performing their duties during the arrest. You know it, and I know it. The answer is no.
Like most employment contracts, I’m sure Romo’s includes language addressing termination for cause if an employee damages the company’s reputation. I had similar language in my own contracts. But what, specifically, was so damaging in the video that would trigger that clause?
Public embarrassment? Trolls on X? Media critics who have always enjoyed taking shots at Romo?
Tony Romo deserves the same second chance that most of us would hope to receive in a similar situation.
CBS Sports doesn’t need to make a permanent decision based on a temporary moment. Let the legal process play out. Let Romo own his mistake, and allow him the opportunity to regain the trust he’s lost. Then let him get back to calling football games.
Because if one lapse in judgment is enough to erase an otherwise successful career, we’re setting a standard that very few people—inside or outside of sports media—could ever hope to meet.
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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.