Watt, one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history, made his official debut as CBS's lead NFL analyst alongside Jim Nantz, covering the NFC North rivalry matchup between the Packers and Vikings in Week 1 on Sunday. Watt was promoted to replace longtime color commentator Tony Romo, who had been paired with Nantz since 2017. Watt's thorough tactical breakdowns and raw honesty blended well with Nantz's polished delivery.
And according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Watt may have already done enough to fully take over Romo's old role. "During the 'NFL Today' pregame show from Minnesota, host James Brown welcomed the new duo on set, saying, 'Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt ... that rolls right off your tongue.
What do you have?' Nantz responded with his trademark, 'Hello, friend,' before adding he was excited about the matchup and, turning to Watt, 'being with this guy,' Marchand wrote. "Romo was never mentioned. It felt like Nantz and CBS had moved on." More news: Insider Names Top 2 Teams to Watch for Joey Porter Jr Trade More news: Sean Payton Assigns Blame After Broncos’ Blowout Loss to Chiefs Romo dealt with a legal incident this past summer, an OWI arrest in Milwaukee, and CBS placed him on leave, saying very little publicly about the situation since.
The network has confirmed Romo won't return before at least Week 4 of the 2026 season, and he's also been barred from attending CBS's NFL media days this year. While CBS and Romo haven't formally split, the network has stopped promoting him, and many in the industry believe he won't return at all this season, if ever. Speculation has increasingly centered on a potential buyout, with four years and roughly $72 million remaining on the 10-year, $180 million deal he signed with CBS in 2020.
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