CBS execs tried intervention to address Tony Romo’s slippage in booth

Tony Romo received the largest contract in sportscasting history after his retirement from the NFL – then things took a troubling turn.

Former NFL player Tony Romo has lost some of his appeal. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

During the last offseason, CBS Sports executives recognised that some of the lustre of Tony Romo’s NFL analysis had faded.

As a result, they staged something of an intervention, The Post has learned.

In an effort to have Romo focus more on being fully prepared and to help him find a way to mesh better with his broadcast partner, Jim Nantz, executives including CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus and CBS’ lead NFL game producer, Jim Rikhoff, flew on separate trips to Romo’s Dallas home, according to sources.

“To call this an intervention is a complete mischaracterisation, we meet regularly with our on-air talent,” CBS Sports spokeswoman Jen Sabatelle said.

Whatever one chooses to call it, the executives reviewed tapes with Romo, went to dinner, and discussed the broadcast in an attempt to return him to the form that made him a media sensation in his first three years on air, beginning in 2017, and culminated in what was at the time the largest contract in sportscasting history, a 10-year deal for a total of US$180 million (A$260m).

While the get-togethers were said to have gone well, they did not improve the broadcast as Nantz and Romo continued to go in the wrong direction, much the same way as Nantz and his previous partner, Phil Simms, went backward.

Romo has received heat from TV sports insiders, media critics and social media.

The Romo-Nantz combo will have even more relevance a year from now because Super Bowl LVIII, which will be played in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024, will air on CBS.

This offseason, CBS officials plan to try to again address the issues with the network’s lead team.

Watch every game of the NFL Postseason including the Super Bowl, LIVE on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Former NFL player Tony Romo has lost some of his appeal. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Jim Nantz (L) has lost some chemistry with Romo. Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP

Meanwhile, sports media figure Colin Cowherd has suggested Romo’s struggles can be put down to his obsession with golf.

“I’ve used this for years when I would interview people and I was going to hire them,” Cowherd said. “If I had lunch or coffee with them, I always asked them if they loved golf. ‘Oh, I love golf. Do you love golf?’

“And if they said yes, I wouldn’t hire them. Because I always had this theory that as guys age, many of them get addicted to golf.

“They’re on PGATour.com, they’re putting in the backyard, they’re thinking about it at work, they’re scheduling a trip to Scotland and they lose sight of their other job.”

Romo, who is three seasons into a 10-year contract worth $180 million with CBS, has competed in a number of professional tournaments over the years.

While his love for the sport was an initial chemistry draw with Jim Nantz, their partnership has not felt as crisp the last two years.

“Romo wants to be on the Tour,” Cowherd continued.

“He literally wants to be on the Tour. And what’s the first thing Aaron Rodgers does in the off-season, he goes and golfs, he loves it. Both, by the way, great golfers, especially Romo. “But I’ve always felt like Tony Romo is one of those guys, and we all have somebody in our social circle like this, they got the golf bug, he’s had it for 15 years. Tony wants to be on the PGA Tour — but he likes the paycheck from CBS.”

Tony Romo is obsessed with golf. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

Cowherd spoke about how it’s fine that (NBA legends) Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal may not know every NBA player. He explained that they’re likeable and doing hours and hours of TV. Romo, on the other hand, might get 20-25 minutes of airtime a week after the three-hour game is sliced into Jim Nantz’s play-by-play, sideline reports, ad reads, commercials and Romo’s commentary.

“Football is different. You get 20 million viewers. It really is the most important weekly broadcast for networks. And if they’re paying you $17 million, and you’re talking about 20 minutes a week, they want you to be dialled in,” he said.

Cowherd didn’t think Romo is terrible — but argued he’s not been exemplary either.

“I don’t think he does a bad job. I think he’s fine,” Cowherd said.

Then, the host juxtaposed Romo’s lackadaisical preparation with Fox analyst Greg Olsen’s fastidiousness.

“When I listen to Greg Olsen, he sounds like he’s been studying for those three hours for six days. Romo sounds like sometimes — and he’s entertaining — he’s winging it.”

- This article first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as CBS execs tried intervention to address Tony Romo’s slippage in booth