Criticisms of Romo included a declining chemistry with partner Jim Nantz and too much enthusiasm or exuberance as substitute for deeper analysisCBS
No NFL broadcaster "received better press to start his career" than CBS's Tony Romo, so last year’s negative feedback "was noticeable," according to Richard Deitsch of THE ATHLETIC. The criticisms included a "declining chemistry" with broadcasting partner Jim Nantz and "too much enthusiasm or exuberance as substitute for deeper analysis." Deitsch wrote Romo was a "comet at the start of his career, from his ability to predict plays to his genuine enthusiasm for all things football." He is now in Year 7 as a broadcaster and it is "not fresh for some people anymore." Romo said that his experience as an NFL quarterback has "given him perspective on all of this." Romo: "These things harden you. They give you a turtle shell. What you’re describing isn’t even criticism. There’s levels to this thing. When you lose a game (as a player), you feel people walking up to you on the street.” Romo: "We’ve (the CBS crew) been at such a high level doing this for so long that it doesn’t matter who you are, people are not going to continually write the same article about how great you are. ... I think it’s all a positive. Talking about it, it helps all of the NFL. Our job is to go out there and perform like we’ve done and try to always do our best. I think we’ve done a great job with that." This is a Super Bowl year for CBS so the Nantz-Romo dynamic "will be under the microscope, especially early" (THE ATHLETIC, 8/28).
"HERE WE GO JIM!": In Boston, Chad Finn writes it is "hard to believe" that Nantz and Romo are "already entering their seventh season together in the booth." When speaking about his relationship with Romo and being the longest-tenured No. 1 broadcast team at a single network, Nantz said, "It’s solid. The comfort level is there. The chemistry is off the charts.” The pair have "already called two Super Bowls together" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/29).
