CBS NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is currently on indefinite leave from his role at the network following his arrest in late July.
Romo was stopped by police after leaving a golf course in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
A deputy conducted a traffic stop and noticed that Romo appeared to exhibit signs of intoxication. Romo failed a field sobriety test, and the deputy also noted that there was an open bottle of alcohol in the passenger’s side of his vehicle.
Romo was officially charged with operating while intoxicated, and has pleaded no contest to begin the month of September. The former NFL quarterback also released a statement on Tuesday to accompany that plea, his first since news of the arrest went viral over the last several weeks.
Tony Romo’s First Official Statement Since Arrest
“This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely,” Romo said in a statement on his Instagram account.
“Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain. That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”
Romo added that taking responsibility and accountability for his actions is an “important first step.”
“The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward,” Romo said. “That path requires honesty.”
Romo says that he is “working closely with a team of doctors” to get a better handle on his health, adding that he is grateful for the support of family, friends and the greater NFL community.
“As I turn my attention to my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS, I kindly ask for privacy during this period,” Romo said to end the statement.
Romo’s Replacement Plan at CBS Sports
The former Cowboys quarterback will not be on the call for several high-profile NFL games to begin the season.
Former Houston Texans star and fellow CBS analyst J.J. Watt will fill in for Romo during his indefinite leave, assuming the top analyst position alongside play-by-play man Jim Nantz. He’ll start the new job in Week 1 for the game between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
Last month, CBS Sports president David Berson said that the Romo situation is “evolving” and that the network is still assessing information.
Berson acknowledged the difficulty of changing announcer pairings and broadcast schedules ahead of the new season, but said that others were ready to step up to different roles.
“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson noted.
“That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any others. Fortunately, we have a deep bench and everybody is stepping up.”
As the NFL season begins, we’ll see if Romo returns to call games for CBS during the 2026 regular season – as he is still currently under the rest of the 10-year, $100 million contract he signed to call games in 2020.