Tony Romo on evolving in CBS broadcast booth: ‘Going to fail’

Tony Romo is working out the kinks.
The Cowboys’ former QB, who spent 14 seasons with Dallas before transitioning to an NFL analyst with CBS in 2017, is evolving in his role through trial and error, he said, and acknowledged that he doesn’t always “get it right” in the booth.
“I think you’re always evolving,” Romo told The Post on behalf of Michelob ULTRA and Netflix, which teamed up for a first-ever partnership to launch Netflix’s newest golf docuseries “Full Swing.” “I mean, some changes are good, some you’re like, ‘Ah, I shouldn’t do that. But I always trial and error a bunch and sometimes it works.
“I mean, the ability to adapt and learn, if you never try to change at all — I just think like the best players in the world aren’t afraid of failure. You’re going to fail all the time, but at the same time, you succeed because of that, as long as you think about it and try to understand how to improve and then go about the process to make that happen, which is work ethic and commitment. But you got to have a plan for it before.”
Romo, who turns 43 in April, is well aware that he’s under a microscope calling the biggest NFL games for CBS. This past season alone Romo was at the center of critiques about his delivery, demeanor and commentary in the booth.
Romo, though, says he is focused on developing his craft — and striving to ensure that viewers feel his the passion for the game so that they can have a similar experience while watching.
(L-R) Tony Romo and Jim Nantz work in the broadcast booth before a Packers-Bengals in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sept. 24, 2017. AP
“I just think it’s enjoyable to try and be the best you can be, and the only way to do that is sometimes to trial and error, and staying inside the umbrella of what you think that the viewer wants to help them enjoy the show,” Romo said. “You don’t always get it right, but I do think more often than not, just the people that come up to you all the time. I mean, it’s quadruple from my first 2-3 years, of how many people come up to me on the street and want to talk about it and how they loved it and stuff. So it’s really rewarding for that.”
In 2020, Romo secured what was at the time the largest sports analyst contract in TV history, signing a 10-year contract for $17.5 million per year with CBS.
The former Pro Bowl quarterback called his final game of the season with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz on Sunday, when the Chiefs defeated the Bengals in the AFC Championship at Arrowhead Stadium.
Tony Romo in the broadcast booth for CBS before a Packers-Bengals in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sept. 24, 2017. AP
“It’s not even stressful, it’s enjoyable in some ways because it was a great year,” Romo said. “We had a lot of great games and stuff. For me, I’m always trying to improve, right? Some things you do good sometimes, and you’re like, ‘I should do that better.’ But the truth is, there’s so many times that I sit there and I just want viewers at home to feel the game. I’m just so excited because I’m passionate about the game.
“You know, some people are like, ‘turn down the TV,’ but that’s how plenty of people are. And then other people, I just want to get them to know how big this game is for the players, these coaches. I mean, that game on Sunday was legacy-defining in some ways. You never know how many times you’re going to be in a championship game and everyone assumes they’re going to be here over and over again, both these guys — and they could, but you never know. And so these things are so big at the end.”
After Romo burst onto the broadcast scene with CBS in 2017, he immediately set the bar high for rival networks with his ability to predict plays. His animation and excitement on the broadcast instantly resonated with fans.
Tony Romo has been with CBS since 2017. Getty Images
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Tony Romo with his wife, Candice Romo and their three sons, Hawkins, Rivers and Jones in Dec. 2022. Tony Romo with his wife, Candice Romo and their three sons, Hawkins, Rivers and Jones in June 2021. Advertisement
“I just love showing the emotion of that, the fans and just letting them know how big this is to these players, to these coaches,” Romo said. “It’s life changing for a lot of people. … I just think it’s really enjoyable to kind of share some of that emotion with people. I’m was trying to improve and get to a level that people enjoy sometimes once in a while.”
Romo will now retreat to the golf course in the offseason and enjoy a vacation with his wife, Candice, and their three sons: Hawkins, 10, Rivers, 8, and 5-year-old Jones.
“It’ll be fun just to hang out and have a weekend,” he said, “you know, where I get to do that instead of being gone [at NFL games].”