The NFL broadcast industry changed forever in late February 2020 when CBS signed Tony Romo to a 10-year contract worth $180 million.
The business sense for CBS and Romo's deal was the upcoming negotiations for a new network TV deal with the NFL.
CBS had been challenged about Romo's services. Before signing Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, ESPN considered making Romo the new face of Monday Night Football.
Romo was a sensation at the time, and CBS wanted him on its side in negotiations with Commissioner Roger Goodell and his lieutenants.
CBS ended up keeping the Sunday games, playoffs and Super Bowl package for about $2 billion a year.
But now, less than halfway through Romo's 10-year contract, CBS Sports executives have a problem. That's because Romo and his partner, Jim Nantz, have a broadcast that lacks chemistry, storytelling, strategy or levity. It's a mess on a daily basis.
As a result, the two men continued to search for a lifeline. gene? Tracy? Jay? Anyone?
Gene Steratore will be called in as master of ceremonies. Tracy Wolfson is on the sideline. And Jay Feely is on standby on special teams. Booth, whose annual income approaches $30 million, receives a lot of support.
Unlike the old duo of Buck and Aikman or the new tandem of Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen, Nantz and Romo don't sound like best friends in a game, no matter how many times they call each other's names. . It's more like his nephew is cracking jokes and saying whatever comes to mind, while his uncle is confused about how to react.
Last Sunday, Nantz made an unforgettable call on Buffalo's late missed field goal. “No, he won't score!” Wide right. Buffalo's two most frightening words have resurfaced – he was almost off again. He was slow to recognize big plays, incorrectly calling incompletions catches and vice versa.
If Nantz hadn't called the game, it would have seemed more like he was in a plush box than in the stands. At its best, Romo creates an atmosphere that makes you want to drink beer on the upper deck. No match.
Romo got off to a very good start. In his analysis of the AFC Championship game between the Chiefs and Patriots in January 2019, he predicted nearly every play in advance, a historic performance in live sports.
At that point, Romo, who was still nearing retirement, knew the players, the formation and his free-spirited style would work. Now, his playing career is further behind, and his lack of constant study of the current game makes him prone to turnovers.
During Wild Card Week of the playoffs, Nantz and Romo were active in the Steelers-Bills game. Romo made this revelation about Steelers running back Jalen Warren:
“I'm telling you, when you put tape on it…we know how good it is.” [Najee] Harris has been playing, but I didn't think they had as much of a one-two punch as they did,” Romo said. “I didn’t see them during the games this year, but [Warren] Hit the hole consistently. He's quick, aggressive and has that instinct. This is an outstanding unit. ”
Almost everyone on a fantasy football team recognized how well Warren played all year, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, third-best in the NFL. . Surely the No. 1 NFL video game analyst who earns nearly $1 million a game would have an idea before watching a little film. That's coming through.
Nantz and Romo don't have many moments together, which often confuses analysis. During last Sunday's divisional round game in Buffalo, Bills coach Sean McDermott decided to fake a punt after going 4-5 from his own 30 with nearly 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter. I decided. A courageous call.
Nantz said flatly: “It's a fake copy…” [Damar] Hamlin stopped short. ”
Romo added: “That would be the first turnover. I'm not necessarily going to say that. But for me. It was offensive.”
Not great, but not terrible.
Nantz immediately threw it to one of the lifelines on the sideline.
“Jay Feely, did you feel it coming?” Nantz asked.
Feeley said the Chiefs only had 10 men on the field because there was no replay.
After hearing this, Romo changed his mind and made the following decision. “That's exactly right, Jay. You know 10 people. [Drue] Tranquill does an incredible job of taking on two blockers and turning inside. That's the right decision. There were only 6 people inside. Technically there are 8 blockers. Easy seven. oh. “
Although the broadcast was uneven, more than 50 million viewers tuned in last Sunday night, the most ever for a Divisional Round game. Just as many, if not more, will be listening to Nantz and Romo during Sunday afternoon's AFC Championship game between the Chiefs and the Ravens.
Two weeks later in Las Vegas, the duo will be the focus of the nation's attention for the Super Bowl, which will inevitably reach 100 million viewers.
At some point, the broadcast will no longer be about “genes?” Tracy? Jay?
Jim and Tony need to figure that out fast.
