CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways, the network confirmed, ending the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback's nine-year run as its lead NFL game analyst. The split follows Romo's September arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Romo, 45, pleaded no contest on Sept. 1 and had his driving privileges revoked for six months, according to court records. He was also ordered to install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle, which requires a driver to pass a breath test before the car will start.
The network announced the decision without citing a reason, saying only that both sides agreed to separate. "We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward," CBS Sports said in a statement.
Romo was arrested after officers reported a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" coming from him during the traffic stop, according to the arresting officers' account.
Romo joined CBS in 2017 straight from the playing field, signing a reported 10-year contract worth $180 million — at the time one of the richest deals ever given to a sports broadcaster. He was paired with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz on the network's No. 1 NFL crew, calling the Super Bowl in 2019, 2021 and 2024.
His arrival was widely praised at first. Romo built a reputation for predicting plays before they happened, a style that drew comparisons to a coach diagramming on a whiteboard and briefly made him the most talked-about analyst in football. In later seasons, critics argued his commentary had grown looser and less predictive, and CBS quietly reshuffled its booth assignments around him.
Before broadcasting, Romo spent 14 seasons as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, throwing for 34,183 yards and 248 touchdowns. He never reached a conference championship game, but his franchise records in Dallas still stand.
Romo's exit leaves CBS without the centerpiece of its NFL coverage less than a year into a media-rights cycle in which the network pays billions for its Sunday afternoon package. The company has not named a replacement for the lead analyst chair.
The no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt under Texas law, but it carries the same punishment as a conviction. A six-month license suspension and interlock requirement are standard penalties for a first DUI offense in the state.
