CBS Sports yesterday formally announced Cowboys QB Tony Romo will become its lead NFL game analyst beginning with the '17 season, joining play-by-play broadcaster Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus in a statement said, "As we welcome Tony, we want to acknowledge Phil Simms who served as our lead NFL analyst for nearly 20 years." McManus called Simms "one of the best analysts to ever call the game." He also added, "We are discussing with Phil his future role." Romo will be calling Sunday games, as well as the net's "TNF" package (CBS). In DC, Boren & Payne note Romo "confirmed other networks also head-hunted him after the season ended, but that he chose CBS after they offered the most competitive offer, which will also allow him the chance to do golf broadcasts, too." McManus noted that it "wasn’t until the last two weeks" that talks "became serious" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/5). In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton notes Romo on his conference call was "anything but maudlin." He "rambled on for nearly 40 minutes" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/5).
DONE ON THE FIELD? Romo said of possibly returning to play, "You never say never. I'll just say it's about 99 percent." He added that he "doesn't envision coming back but expects to get calls from teams" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/5). In Austin, Cedric Golden writes Romo "sounded genuinely excited about the opportunity to be paired" with Nantz, but there was "something about his voice that left you wondering if he really was all-in regarding this new career phase" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 4/5). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said, "That’s a very, very big job. I can't believe, and I know that they were negotiating against Fox and NBC and so I don't know where it all netted out, but I can't believe they would have done this unless he gave them some real assurance, ‘Look, I'm not going to [return to football]'" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 4/5). ESPN's Adam Schefter said Romo's decision was a "lifestyle choice." ESPN's Ed Werder added he was “told by a source directly involved in these Romo conversations with the Cowboys, and the two television networks that were competing for his services, that [Romo's playing career] is over" ("NFL Insiders,” ESPN, 4/4).
TESTING, TESTING, 1-2-3: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes, "Maybe it's fitting that Tony Romo’s rags-to-riches-to-rags-again NFL career ends like this -- with an unpredictable scramble" (USA TODAY, 4/5). In Dallas, Barry Horn writes, "To his credit, Romo acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do." CBS "handed Romo the keys to the penthouse because it had tired of Simms, just as he sounded tired of calling games." The "constant criticism that accompanied his work could not have gone unnoticed." McManus "sounded relatively unconcerned about going with a rookie at such a high-profile job." He also "acknowledged that CBS was taking 'a manageable risk.'" Romo "may someday prove to be the second coming" of John Madden, but for now the net will "settle for an upgrade over Simms" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/5). In Boston, Chad Finn writes the decision to put Romo, an "engaging personality but one with no significant broadcasting experience, on its top team comes with some risk for CBS." The net "owns the rights to the AFC game package, which offers something of a learning curve for Romo beyond being a broadcasting novice since he played his entire career in the NFC" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/5). CBS Sports Net's Adam Schein said, "He is going to be an amazing broadcaster" ("Time To Schein," CBSSN, 4/4). ESPN's David Jacoby, "I don't know if Tony Romo is ready for this gig" ("Jalen & Jacoby," ESPN Radio, 4/4).
PRESSURE IN THE POCKET: THE MMQB's Peter King writes putting Romo on the No. 1 TV team is a "gutsy, risky move." CBS' Boomer Esiason said, "It’ll be a trial by fire." But Esiason said Nantz "will be really good for Tony." Esiason: "He knows how to make a guy in the booth feel comfortable, and he knows they’ll be highly scrutinized. ... One thing I would say is, try not to be all things to all people. I just overkilled the first year. I read so much, prepared so much. Have fun." But Esiason warned social media "will be a killer." He said, "The slings and arrows, you won’t know where they’re coming from" (MMQB.SI.com, 4/5). Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said, "This is baptism by blast furnace for Tony Romo and it's sink or swim as well. I think he's going to be great, but I don't know that for certain, and he's going to be scrutinized arguably more heavily than anyone who’s ever done this" ("PFT," NBCSN, 4/5). In Houston, David Barron notes CBS "staked the network's reputation on its belief that a rookie broadcaster, much like a rookie quarterback, can be an immediate success in his new profession." Not since ABC hired Don Meredith to call "MNF" in '70 has a net "given one of its lead NFL roles to an untested newcomer" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/5). THE RINGER's Bryan Curtis wrote, "Outside of a couple of mildly amusing DirecTV commercials, Romo hasn’t been funny in years. He hasn’t even tried. He has been incredibly, purposefully dull" (THERINGER.com, 4/4). FS1's Jason Whitlock said, "People think TV is easy ... (but) there is some risk here. This is not a bad decision, but it's not a layup like he may think or other people may think." FS1's Cris Carter added, "He's going to get criticized even if he is good at it" ("Speak For Yourself," FS1, 4/5).
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| Simms still has multiple years left on his contract with CBS |
BIG SHOES TO FILL: In New Jersey, Tara Sullivan writes Simms "may still find a viable role at CBS -- maybe replacing Tony Gonzalez in studio, perhaps pairing with a different play-by-play man -- or maybe he won’t." But he "was not fired." Simms' agent Steve Rosner, when asked that direct question yesterday, said, "Absolutely not.” Rosner: "He has multiple years left on his contract. I've had a few brief discussions with CBS in regard to the future and we have decided at the moment that we will regroup within the next month or so and figure out what his future role will be." Sullivan writes Romo "can only hope to be as good as Simms was in the booth," as he is "being dropped in the deep end of the broadcasting pool" (Bergen RECORD, 4/5).
NEXT FOR SIMMS? SPORTING NEWS' David Steele hopes Simms "lands somewhere in the football broadcast world," but "not necessarily a broadcast booth." Simms and James Brown are the "only remaining members" on "Inside the NFL" from the "start of the Showtime era of the show." A role for Simms on "The NFL Today" also would "give the NFL audience a fresh look at Simms’ strengths" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 4/4). In Newark, James Kratch writes the Simms decision "may have been welcomed with open arms on Twitter, but it is still a curious one." Simms was a "frequent target of criticism," and CBS "may have felt it couldn't deal with another year of social media outrage." That "doesn't make the fact Simms was unceremoniously booted from CBS' A-team after nearly 20 years of service any less jarring, though -- especially considering Romo has no television experience." Simms "could remain at CBS in another role," but "more likely, he will part ways with the network once some sort of agreement is reached in the future after plenty of billable hours." Kratch: "For what it's worth, McManus sounded more like he was saying goodbye than moving Simms to a new desk in his opening statement" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/5).
SO LONG, COWBOY: In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill Jr. notes as Romo walked away from the Cowboys, Owner Jerry Jones "helped make it happen as neatly and clean as possible by doing right by his favorite adopted son." Romo retiring is "one thing." Jones "giving him his out right release is another." What his release "ultimately does for Romo is it gives him the freedom to return to football any time he wants." Romo and Jones have "largely been on the same page and worked in concert regarding this decision from the beginning" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/5). ESPN’s Louis Riddick said if Romo wasn’t the Cowboys' QB and “didn’t have that brand attached to his name forever, would he be talked about as being a No. 1 analyst?” (“OTL,” ESPN, 4/4). The MORNING NEWS' Horn notes the '17 NFL TV schedule has "yet to be released, but if the league sticks to recent history, CBS, which alternates with Fox, will get the Cowboys' Thanksgiving game." The net has had "two Cowboys games annually" dating to '08. Horn: "All ears will be on Romo when he analyzes his former team" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/5).
