Sportscaster Colin Cowherd suggested that Tony Romo's relationship with CBS may have been strained by resentment over his $180 million contract, even before the former NFL quarterback's recent OWI arrest. Cowherd, speaking on the “House of Strauss” podcast, posited that Romo’s leverage during his 2020 contract negotiations created ill will among CBS executives.
Romo was placed on leave by CBS a week after his arrest in Wisconsin. JJ Watt is filling his role in the network's lead NFL broadcast booth alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson. Cowherd, who hosts a show on Fox Sports, believes the tension began when Romo secured a 10-year, $180 million deal in 2020. At that time, Romo had significant leverage, amplified by interest from ESPN for their "Monday Night Football" broadcast, which he ultimately declined.
"When you go into contract negotiations, there was a moment in time that Tony Romo had tremendous leverage over CBS," Cowherd said. "And he squeezed them for every nickel."
Cowherd cited a source who indicated that CBS executives did not contact Romo for the first two days following his arrest. "That's what I heard from somebody who would know," Cowherd stated. "And I thought, is there resentment upstairs? Because he had them. He had them dead to rights, and he got every penny he wanted."
While CBS has publicly supported Romo against criticism of his broadcasting skills in the past, reports from 2023 indicated the network held an "intervention" with Romo to discuss his preparation habits amidst growing criticism of his booth performance. Romo's current situation has shifted the power dynamic, leaving his return to the broadcast booth this season uncertain.