After getting dragged through the mud in 2023, Tony Romo quietly slipped off the radar in 2024.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. It’s not like fans collectively decided to tune him out. But the spotlight shifts when the greatest quarterback enters the broadcast booth. Clearly, Tom Brady’s debut season on Fox drew all the attention, and it seemingly left Romo free from the usual wave of criticism, even as CBS attracted more viewers.
That’s not to say Romo didn’t have his moments.
His obsession with Josh Allen and commentary that often felt like Mad Libs marred his AFC Divisional Round call. But in his final game of the season, he was — should we say— different? He called out the Bills and Allen where necessary, and while he still had his share of cringe-worthy moments, he was largely solid.
Still, Romo can’t help being a caricature of himself at times. His tendency to turn Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills games into quarterback lovefests remains one of his most frustrating habits. For some NFL fans, it’s gone from endearing to unlistenable, with every “Oh my gosh!” or “Oh my goodness!” grating on nerves.
That was on full display Sunday. Romo didn’t hold back in gushing over Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
But that was to be expected.
Yet when it came to analysis, he proved he still has his fastball. He may not be predicting plays with Nostradamus-like accuracy anymore, but aside from touting the Bills’ “Tush Push” as unstoppable — and a few other missteps — his calls were largely on point.
Sure, he had the unwitting announcer’s jinx of Christian Benford when he casually mentioned that Benford had been in concussion protocol earlier in the week — just two plays before Benford was knocked out of the game for good. His replacement? Kaiir Elam, a name Romo, highlighted and critiqued every chance he could.
Romo wasn’t picking on Elam for no reason — that was the Chiefs’ job. But Romo didn’t hesitate to point out every misstep, blown coverage or missed tackle, making it clear that Elam was a glaring weak link in the Bills’ defense — one that Mahomes and CO. exploited repeatedly.
This wasn’t the vintage Romo who burst onto the scene and captivated viewers by calling out plays before he saw them, but he was sharp when it counted. He nailed Josh Allen being, well, Josh Allen. He broke down Andy Reid’s play-calling with surgical precision. And he didn’t miss a beat hyping up Mahomes rolling to his right — leading to some of the game’s biggest plays in the Chiefs’ 32-29 win.
And we get it — the Romo listening experience isn’t for everyone.
As mentioned before, Romo had his slip-ups. He praised Allen for his risk mitigation moments before the MVP hopeful launched a 50-yard prayer into double coverage. He thought the Chiefs should take a delay of game and punt on 4th-and-1—only for Reid to dial up a Mahomes rollout that resulted in an easy six-yard gain. And let’s not forget the dad joke about James Cook: “Unless you’re Cook, who is cooking.”
Don’t worry, we cringed, too.
He’s imperfect, sometimes painfully so. The cartoonish delivery, the overly excitable tone — Romo can be a lot, Jim. But if you can get past the moments of excess, there’s real substance underneath. He knows the game and still can deliver sharp, thoughtful analysis with the best of them, especially when it matters most.
Is he notably less annoying? That’s tough to say. Maybe Romo has simply benefited from flying under the radar this season, thanks to Brady. With all eyes, ears (and sports media critics) locked on Brady, Romo was afforded the rare opportunity to work in somewhat relative peace — a luxury he hasn’t enjoyed since he entered the booth.
But there’s also a case to be made that Romo has made a conscious effort to rein himself in. While he’s still prone to over-the-top enthusiasm and one-liners that often grow tiresome, his commentary — especially on Sunday — felt slightly more grounded. He’s no longer predicting every play like Nostradamus, but he’s choosing his spots more carefully.
There’s less verbal filler and fewer “Oh my gosh!” exclamations, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
And it also doesn’t mean Romo has completely abandoned his quirks. He still leans into his hyperactive style, and when paired with quarterbacks like Mahomes or Allen, he sometimes falls back into his old habits of fawning and overselling. But compared to his more polarizing stretches in past seasons, there’s a noticeable shift — whether intentional or coincidental.
Maybe it’s the Brady effect, or maybe it’s Romo finding his way.
Either way, the 2024 version of Tony Romo feels slightly more polished and a bit less grating — though your mileage may depend on how much of him you can handle.
