MILWAUKEE, WI. (THECOUNT) — Tony Romo and CBS Sports have mutually agreed to part ways following the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback’s July arrest in Wisconsin on a charge of operating while intoxicated, ending his nine-year run as the network’s lead NFL game analyst.
“CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward,” CBS Sports said in a statement Friday.
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Romo, 46, said he plans to step away from work for the time being and focus on his health and family before considering his next opportunity.
“I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years. I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life — with a desire to win and be the best that I can be,” Romo said.
“I’m going to use this time to take a break, something I’ve never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity,” he added.
BREAKING: Tony Romo is out at CBS following an OWI arrest, for which he was on indefinite leave
Romo had previously released a statement taking responsibility for his OWI and attributing his reliance on alcohol to managing chronic pain from past back surgeries.…
— The Facts Dude 🤙🏽 (@Thefactsdude) October 2, 2026
Romo was arrested July 23 after a traffic stop while driving south on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, authorities suspected him of operating while intoxicated after observing his driving and conducting field sobriety testing.
Romo pleaded no contest to the OWI charge Sept. 1. A Milwaukee County judge found him guilty and revoked his driving privileges for six months. He was also ordered to pay $834, complete an alcohol assessment program and use an ignition interlock device on his vehicles for at least one year after receiving a new driver’s license. Citations for an open container of alcohol in the vehicle and unsafe passing were dismissed.
Romo had been on leave from CBS Sports since shortly after the arrest. The network announced that J.J. Watt, who had been filling in during Romo’s absence, will remain alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS’ lead NFL broadcast team for the remainder of the season.
Romo joined CBS Sports for the 2017 NFL season after retiring from professional football. He quickly became one of the most recognizable analysts in sports television, working with Nantz on CBS’ top NFL broadcast team and earning praise for his ability to anticipate plays and explain quarterback decision-making.
Before moving into broadcasting, Romo spent his entire NFL playing career with Dallas. The undrafted quarterback became the Cowboys’ starter in 2006, earned four Pro Bowl selections and finished his playing career as the franchise’s career leader in touchdown passes with 248. He retired after the 2016 season and joined CBS the following year.
Romo’s departure comes less than two months after the traffic stop that resulted in his OWI arrest and roughly one month after his no-contest plea. CBS Sports had previously said Romo would remain on leave while the network evaluated the situation.
Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin and seat of Milwaukee County, sits along Lake Michigan roughly 90 miles north of Chicago. Interstate 43 runs through the Milwaukee metropolitan area and was the location of the traffic stop involving Romo.
Google Maps: Interstate 43, Milwaukee, WI
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