That indefinite leave from the CBS Sports booth might turn into a permanent one for Tony Romo.
While the network’s brass and talent have sidestepped the issue for legal and professional reasons following Romo’s July 23 OWI arrest, former CBS analyst Boomer Esiason had no trouble addressing it Wednesday on his WFAN show.
“If I had to guess, purely speculation given what’s going on right now, I would think it’s over,” Esiason said. “He may end up going somewhere else and getting things straightened out.”
Esiason, who spent 22 years on CBS’s pregame show “The NFL Today” detailed what happened in 2017 when Phil Simms was demoted as the network’s lead analyst to make way for Romo in the top spot.
Tony Gonzalez had recently left as Esiason’s partner on the show, so Simms slotted right in.
Unfortunately for Romo, no such vacancy exists at the network after Russell Wilson joined the show.
“They supposedly offered Phil third or fourth,” Esaison recalled. “That’s an insult. Especially for a guy that worked for 20 years as your lead analyst.”
While CBS has not moved on from Romo yet, the network already has made a notable change.
Last month, they announced J.J. Watt would join Jim Nantz in the network’s top NFL booth. He previously worked alongside Ian Eagle on the second team.
Nantz, Watt and CBS Sports president David Berson each addressed the situation Tuesday.
While none gave specifics, all three wished Romo well, especially Nantz, who worked with the quarterback for nearly a decade.
“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,” Nantz said. “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.”
Berson said that there has not been a final decision made, nor is there a timetable for a resolution regarding Romo and the $72 million left in his deal.
Romo’s contract reportedly includes an industry-standard morality clause, though it’s unclear if the arrest is grounds for termination under the clause.
“In making this decision, we have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “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.”
According to a citation reviewed by The Post, Romo “cut across the marked gore” on his way to visit “Grandma and Grandpa” while driving in rush hour traffic in Wisconsin, he told police.
Romo declined to take a test for intoxication, performed poorly on field sobriety tests and had an open bottle of an alcholic beverage in his Jeep, the citation said.
Romo is facing $1,568.50 in fines for the incident, which is considered a traffic violation in Wisconsin rather than a criminal charge. His day in court is scheduled for Sept. 21.
The former quarterback has not publicly addressed his arrest or contract situation.
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