CBS holds its NFL Media Day in Manhattan later today. Tony Romo won’t be there according to reporting by The Athletic.
What We Know: Romo remains on indefinite leave after his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin on suspicion of OWI. Body cam footage showed him denying he’d been drinking, though officers also cited him for an open container. CBS has kept its on-air talent in Manhattan for two days ahead of the season annually, but Romo is excluded from this week’s plans. J.J. Watt will step into the top booth alongside Jim Nantz in the meantime.
What They Said: CBS has not commented further on Romo’s status with the network since announcing he was put on leave. Romo has since backed out of events since his arrest, but also has not commented further.
What Remains Unclear: Whether Romo returns to the broadcast booth is still unknown. His Wisconsin court date falls on September 21, though he isn’t required to appear. Whether or not Romo returns this season is still unknown.
What It Means: CBS Sports obviously is not wanting to make this a spectacle about Romo and his status with the network. Keeping Romo away from media day is a smart move by the network. It also allows questions about Romo to funnel to the correct people if questions are allowed. Watt’s elevation shows CBS is ready to move forward without Romo, at least for now. Still, Romo’s contract worth $18 million a season complicates things.
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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.