In the aftermath of Tony Romo’s arrest in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating while intoxicated, CBS Sports had several decisions to make. Even today, Romo’s future employment and standing with the company remain fully unknown. A week after his arrest, the network placed Romo on leave and elevated J.J. Watt to its top NFL booth. With Watt moving up, questions remained about who would replace him alongside Ian Eagle in the second booth. Enter Ross Tucker.
“A lot of people in the industry were happy to see someone who took the long, hard road be rewarded with an opportunity like this,” explained Tucker, who has been calling games with CBS Sports since his arrival in 2018. “People want to see hard work pay off. That says a lot about CBS executives promoting from within. That’s why we have such a great culture, because when opportunities come up, they have.”
Following a seven-year career in the NFL, Tucker chose to take the long road to his eventual success. He joined Sports Illustrated as a columnist in 2008 and began hosting sports radio programs on SiriusXM NFL Radio. He expanded his media profile by launching The Ross Tucker Podcast and added analyst duties calling games for CBS Sports Network, Westwood One and others.
Unexpected Opportunity
Because of the years he spent saying yes, building relationships and networking with so many people surrounding the game, the news of his elevation by CBS Sports was met with an overwhelming response.
“I got well over 400 text messages. It was overwhelming on so many different levels. It was really cool to see how many people truly cared,” Tucker noted. “A lot of times in the industry, there could be some jealousy with some who feel they should have gotten the opportunity. But it was cool to see firsthand the outpouring of support. My one wish in media was to call the biggest games possible. This year, I’m kind of there.”
By no means did Tucker ignore the circumstances that created this lineup shift at CBS Sports. Following the news of Romo’s arrest, he began receiving texts about what it could mean for his future with the network. Truthfully, Tucker admits he didn’t look inward at what the situation could mean for him until CBS Sports placed Romo on leave.
Days later, a phone call came from Ross Malloy. The senior vice president of talent, production planning and technology development for CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network.
“Ross [Malloy] called me, and I thought it was fitting. He gave me the opportunity to call my first games with CBS Sports Network in 2018,” said Tucker. “I was already excited about what my increased role was going to be this season. I was slated to call an NFL game every Sunday this season already. Then things changed for obvious reasons, but I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Working With Ian Eagle
Tucker will share the booth with veteran play-by-play voice Ian Eagle. The two have worked together on at least 20 NFL broadcasts for Westwood One. Their established chemistry likely played a role in Tucker’s promotion to the second booth.
Because of his familiarity with Eagle, Tucker doesn’t feel any added pressure with the new role. The two have called standalone matchups featuring top teams together for years on Westwood One radio. While Tucker admits he may need to brush up on some pop culture references for television audiences, his process and approach likely won’t change. The added spotlight and larger audience should not alter his style.
What remains unknown is how long the pairing will last, which is likely dependent on Romo’s status with the network.
“Based on the conversations I’ve had with a bunch of people, nobody knows, and they’ve only announced Week 1. I think possibly because this is a legal situation, that’s all they’re likely to announce,” said Tucker. “It’s cliché, and it annoys me sometimes when players say it. For me, I’m just so focused on an incredible game between the Bills and the Texans. I’m sure whatever ends up being the situation, I’m going to cross that bridge when it comes.”
As excited as Tucker is for the opportunity he has been granted with CBS Sports, he’s even more excited for his CBS Sports teammate J.J. Watt. In the days following Romo’s arrest, Tucker hosted Watt as a guest on The Ross Tucker Podcast to preview the upcoming season. Tucker says neither he nor Watt were aware that Romo would be placed on leave by the network at the time of the podcast taping. He even admitted that he likely would not have conducted the interview if he knew that news was coming.
However, Tucker admired how Watt took on the role during his first season with CBS Sports, complimenting his approach, dedication and willingness to embrace the grind of the job.
“We communicated a number of times during the season last year. He would always reach out and ask if there’s anything I was seeing with teams I called that he was going to call. He’s on top of it,” said Tucker. “He sits in the front row and takes notes. It’s very clear how important this is to him based on how much time he’s putting in to being the best he can be. You must respect that.”
Navigating Added Balance
Now, as Watt’s replacement in the number two booth, Tucker doesn’t plan on pulling back on any of his other projects. He fully expects to continue producing episodes of The Ross Tucker Podcast every week and calling games for Westwood One radio to keep him sharp.
However, he notes that one element he will be pulling back on is guest appearances on radio stations and podcasts throughout the season. Tucker has annually made himself readily available for every request, with a focus on having fun and talking about football, a passion he has enjoyed for many years. His appearances have taken him from the smallest markets to becoming a top fill-in host for The Dan Patrick Show.
“The two most fun things I do. Calling games is my A. Filling in for Dan Patrick is my B. Because you’re reacting to live stimulus for both,” explained Tucker. “In a game, you never really know what will happen. That’s the thrill of it. When you fill in for Dan [Patrick], there’s an energy and pace to it as well. You react to it on the fly. You can plan what your segment may be, but the whole show could change in a second.”
With Patrick’s upcoming retirement in February 2028, Tucker says he hasn’t thought about the possibility of being the successor to the program. He loves every opportunity he has had to fill in, but stated that any discussion regarding Patrick’s retirement feels so far away.
A Front Office Future?
Although Game 1 in Houston on Sunday remains his sole focus, that doesn’t stop NFL teams from taking a look at Tucker for potential roles within their organizations.
Over the past several years, several NFL commentators and analysts have been sought out by NFL franchises. Matt Ryan departed CBS Sports for a role in the Atlanta Falcons’ front office, while Troy Aikman spent part of this past offseason providing guidance for the Miami Dolphins.
Tucker admitted he has had a couple of inquiries from franchises during his time working in sports media.
“I’ve always been more interested in the front office side instead of the coaching side. I like the contract and business stuff,” said Tucker. “I’ve had a couple of inquiries over the years. One was a little bit further down the road than the other. Ultimately, that would be a big decision because I love what I do now. It would be really hard to leave something you know you love for something that you’re not sure how you’d feel about it.”
For Tucker, that decision may come again at some point. But for now, there is no reason to look beyond the opportunity sitting directly in front of him.
After years of saying yes, building relationships, calling games wherever the schedule took him and continuing to find ways to make himself valuable, Tucker has finally reached the moment he spent much of his media career working toward.
On Sunday in Houston, Tucker will step into the CBS Sports booth alongside Ian Eagle with a national audience watching. The circumstances that created the opportunity may be unusual, and the uncertainty surrounding how long it will last remains real. But none of that changes what Tucker has earned.
The long road brought him here. Now, he gets the chance to show everyone why he was ready for it.
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