Insider: ’95 percent’ likely Tony Romo won’t be back at CBS

Despite the recent re-emergence of CBS Sports NFL analyst Tony Romo as he plots his next moves following a July OWI arrest in Wisconsin, the widely held assumption is that Romo will not return to the network.

Romo remains on a leave of absence, and J.J. Watt will join CBS’ top booth for Week 1 — with a chance to make his promotion permanent if he performs well. After years of regression as a game analyst, the situation is a natural way for the network to part ways with Romo. The only impediment to a clean split is Romo’s lucrative contract, which has four years and about $72 million remaining.

Typically, corporations seek to rip up contracts in these situations through some form of a morals clause, based upon the idea that a troubled employee harms the company’s image. Because Romo is facing multiple charges related to driving while intoxicated, allegedly with open containers of alcohol in the vehicle with him — and because body-cam footage of the traffic stop has been published online — CBS likely has a solid case.

In an appearance on Puck’s Powers That Be podcast this week, the outlet’s sports business insider John Ourand provided new insights into the likely negotiations between Romo’s reps and CBS.

“Tony Romo makes $18 million a year, so this could be a way to save some money,” he said. “But if you read [CBS’] statement, there’s going to be a negotiation. And the question is, what is the number … that would make Tony Romo sort of walk away without a fight? I think that’s where the negotiations almost certainly are going to head.”

Ourand is referencing the opening remarks from CBS Sports president David Berson at the network’s NFL media day last month, in which Berson told reporters, “we had to consider the impact on our image and on our brand.” Rather than a full buyout, it seems CBS could attempt to settle with Romo by paying him a set amount to go away.

The latest public statements from Romo, including an anonymous quote from his representatives to TMZ and his own recent Instagram post, can also be read as the first stages of a negotiation. On Instagram, Romo took responsibility for the arrest and revealed substance abuse troubles dating back to his NFL career. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback also not-so-subtly referenced his “return to CBS,” despite the assumption he will not be back. Romo’s reps told TMZ that he was taking “proactive steps” to ensure that his legal situation was resolved swiftly.

While Romo’s preference would likely be to return to his perch atop CBS’s broadcasting pecking order, he could also be posturing to push back against CBS’ case that he is harming its image.

In any case, Ourand said he still believes one thing is nearly certain: Romo will not be back calling games at his old network.

“I think it’s highly unlikely, and by highly unlikely, [I mean] it’s 95 percent that he’s not back at CBS.”