CBS Sports announced Friday that lead NFL analyst Tony Romo has been placed on indefinite leave following his arrest last month on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI) in Wisconsin. The network confirmed the decision in a statement, noting Romo will remain off air until further notice.
The move comes after Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, was arrested on July 23 in Milwaukee County. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Romo was stopped on Interstate 43 after officers observed unsafe passing. Deputies reported red, glassy eyes and an odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage, prompting a field sobriety test. Romo initially denied consuming alcohol but later admitted to having at least one drink. He performed poorly on the sobriety test and was subsequently booked and released.
Court records indicate Romo faces charges of OWI, unsafe passing, and having an open container in a moving vehicle. His first court appearance is scheduled for September 21. An open bottle of alcohol was found in his vehicle during an inventory search before it was towed.
CBS replaces Romo with J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who will join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as the network’s lead NFL broadcast team during Romo’s absence. The first CBS game of the season, a preseason matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, is set for August 28.
Neither Romo nor his attorney has publicly commented on the case. The 46-year-old analyst has served as CBS Sports’ lead NFL game analyst since April 2017, following his retirement from professional football.