CBS’s sports announcer, Tony Romo, faces backlash for his quirky noises and uneven play predictions. Some viewers believe that he no longer gives the same precise commentary as before. However, sports commentator Jim Nantz continues to support him, praising Romo and appreciating his natural and spontaneous style.
“He is unique, and you don’t want everyone out there to be the same.” Jim Nantz said on The Pat McAfee Show, “And he has a different perspective. He’s fun. He is incredibly knowledgeable about what’s happening and the X’s and O’s of what’s going on in a football play. I loved his appearance by the way on the show a couple of months ago.”
Pat McAfee recently called out fans for overlooking Tony Romo’s football intelligence, and Jim Nantz didn’t hesitate to back him up with strong praise.
Since he retired from the NFL in 2017, Romo has worked for CBS Sports as the color commentator, alongside Nantz, after replacing Phil Simms, who moved to The NFL Today.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback quickly earned the nickname Romostradamus for predicting plays and later secured a massive 10-year $180 million deal with CBS in 2020. But in recent years, the excitement around Romo has cooled down.
Many fans have started pointing out his odd noises and moments where he talks over plays instead of breaking them down. During Super Bowl LVIII, which he called with Nantz, Romo faced heavy criticism.
“Ive been working with Tony Romo for nine years and I love him..
It’s been a thrill working with him and I consider myself fortunate to call games with him”
Jim Nantz #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/OSIDev5LxH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 6, 2026
Viewers took issue with him talking over Nantz’s call of the game-winning touchdown by Mecole Hardman and even singing Rolling in the Deep and Viva Las Vegas as the broadcast went to break.
He also drew backlash for being too excitable, making unusual noises, and uninspired calls during big moments during the Buffalo Bills’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 11, 2026.
Even with all the criticism, it doesn’t look like Romo will be stepping away from the booth anytime soon.
Tony Romo remains unshaken amid fans’ backlash
Despite all the criticism, Jim Nantz made it clear that he and Tony Romo are not letting the outside noise affect them. For them, it is all about focusing on the game.
“We’ve been together for nine years.” Nantz added, “It’s been a joy ride. I know there’s a lot of noise out there, and sometimes the noise just feeds more noise. But you know, Tony doesn’t pay any attention to it. I don’t pay any attention to it. There are a lot of people who love him. The great majority do. I love him. It’s been a thrill working with him.”
There were even rumors at one time that CBS Sports might have taken action due to fears about Romo’s commentary deteriorating and his changing chemistry with Nantz. However, Chairman Sean McManus denied this, stating that there were no formal meetings held by CBS in the past, and there were just normal evaluation talks with analysts.
More recently, Romo addressed the criticism himself during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show in January. Host Pat McAfee asked how he deals with all the outside opinions.
“The noise is the noise. It’s part of being in this job.” Romo said, “To me, it’s like, it’s up, it’s down, but at the end of the day, you don’t really listen to things, unless to me, it’s like, all the fans come up to me and say how much they love us and everything, and that’s what I feel. As far as looking stuff online, that’s part of the process, but I don’t think it really changes things.”
The contract of Romo with CBS ends in 2030, and despite all the negative publicity surrounding the issue, it will be quite unlikely for CBS to make a decision about the lead broadcast booth consisting of Romo and Nantz.
