Jim Nantz has mostly kept his head down in the midst of CBS’s ongoing contract situation with Tony Romo following his OWI arrest in July.
However, at CBS Sports’ annual NFL Media Day on Tuesday, he was quick to tell Awful Announcing that the former Cowboys quarterback remains a “great friend” and “always will be” despite the fact that the two may no longer be partners in the booth again at the network.
“No, I really was just laying low,” Nantz told the outlet when asked if he has been kept in the loop by CBS. “I had golf events to do and I knew they had a lot to, you know, look at, sort out. But, you know, I made my mind up because we have this late flurry of golf events on the schedule. I was going to communicate with Tony, which we have, back-and-forth … I just kind of wanted to focus on what’s in front of me, and that’s what I’ve done.
“Tony is a great friend of mine and has been for years. He and I go back to 2011 when he got married, I was invited to his wedding. So, this was not someone in 2017 when he entered the booth I was just getting to know for the first time. So he’s a great friend, continues to be, always will be.
“I adore his family, his wife (Candice Crawford) is awesome. They’re the ones that are on my mind right now. The contents of what we talked about, I’m just going to leave that private, and I think that’s the only way and the appropriate way for me to look at it.”
The 67-year-old sportscaster said he was at a golf event in Minnesota when he heard about Romo’s July 23 arrest in Wisconsin, where he was charged with operating while intoxicated.
He found out the next day while at the 3M Open.
The incident is considered a traffic violation, not a criminal charge, in Wisconsin, and he is facing up to $1,568.50 in fines. CBS put Romo on leave “until further notice” on July 31 and has not backed down from that stance.
President of CBS Sports David Berson said Tuesday they’re still “assessing” the situation.
“There is no timetable or final decision at this time,” he added.
There is a reported morals clause included in Romo’s contract, however, it remains unclear if this arrest and its aftermath would be grounds for CBS cutting ties with Romo.
According to a citation previously reviewed by The Post, Romo “cut across the marked gore” to visit “Grandma and Grandpa” while driving in rush hour traffic, as he told police.
Romo had an “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” located in the passenger side of his black Jeep, and although he told officers he did not have any drinks, he performed poorly on field sobriety tests.
He also refused to take a test for intoxication after he was arrested.
“In making this decision, we have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson added. “That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any other factors. Fortunately, we have a deep bench, and I’m really proud of the way everybody is stepping up and responding.”
Romo is reportedly owed $72 million over the next four years on his 10-year, $180 million deal that he agreed to in 2020.
In the meantime, J.J. Watt has been promoted to Romo’s spot as the booth’s top analyst and Nantz’s partner.
Nantz has a feeling the role could come “naturally” to the former five-time Pro Bowler defensive end.
”[J.J. Watt] is a very, very talented communicator. When you win the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and you win the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Award, which impresses me way more than anything he’s done in his legendary first-ballot Hall of Fame football career, that tells you that the man knows about leadership and he knows how to not only lead people, he knows how to deliver a message,” Nantz said. “This is something that comes naturally for him. Look at who he is, look at all that football stuff, just look at what he’s been recognized for off the field and the ability to put a headset on and break down a football play compared to being in the community and helping people during a crisis in your city and rolling up your sleeves and doing things and leading people to help make Houston better, maybe this is something that comes naturally for him. He can do that.”
Romo has yet to comment publicly on his arrest or job status at CBS.
Source link
#Jim #Nantz #speaks #Tony #Romo #arrest #CBS #future #uncertain