CBS has found its next No. 1 color commentator; well, in truth, they found him a while ago, but now he officially has the job. For nearly a decade, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo led the number-one commentary team. Romo made a name for himself during the 2017 season as a refreshing new voice, so plugged into what was happening at the time that he could tell you what the play would be before the ball was snapped.
He earned two Sports Emmy nominations for Outstanding Sports Personality – Sports Event Analyst, and CBS seemed to have found its next star. As Romo spent more time away from the game, he became less able to predict plays and seemed generally unprepared. His commentary had gotten so poor that the network staged an intervention with the former quarterback to get him back on the right track.
It didn’t seem to make a difference, as fans panned Romo’s commentary, saying he had lost touch with the league the longer he was out. Still, the Nantz and Romo duo limped on until this offseason, when Romo was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Earlier this month, it was reported that the network and Romo had decided to mutually part ways. Many saw this as CBS jumping on the opportunity to offload an underperforming commentator.
In his place, they hired J.J. Watt. Watt is best known for his stellar career with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals. He was drafted 11th overall by Houston in 2011 and went on to be a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a five-time First-team All-Pro.
He spent the 2025 season on CBS’s No. 2 team alongside Ian Eagle and Evan Washburn. When the news broke about Romo’s arrest and suspension, he was called up to call games with Nantz. Apparently, his six weeks of coverage were enough to impress the network, as it announced he will take over the role permanently. Watt said he was honored and grateful in a statement following the announcement.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special,” He said. “From the brotherhood of THE NFL TODAY to my crews calling games, I couldn’t ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey. I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision and trust. I love this job and can’t wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!”
No, Watt just needs to stay current with the evolving NFL game to prove he is a more stable hire than Romo was.