When Tony Romo became an NFL on CBS analyst in 2017, he quickly earned a reputation for his uncanny ability to predict plays right before they happened.
Romo still frequently flashes that ability, even if there are a few skeptics. Shannon Sharpe said earlier this year he’s not impressed when Romo predicts either a pass or run, saying “You got a 50/50 shot.”
Well for those skeptics, what if Romo predicted plays the night before a game? That’s what Romo claims he did during the AFC Wild Card game Sunday. Early in the second quarter, the Denver Broncos pulled off a fake punt when punter Riley Dixon hit speedster Marvin Mims to pick up a first down.
“Oh, the fake! Look at this! Riley Dixon completes it to Mims!” play-by-play man Jim Nantz said. “Oh what a call!”
Romo immediately wanted everyone to know he’d foreseen the play, and he’d shared that prediction with the CBS production team Saturday night.
“Did I tell you? Did I tell you last night?” Romo said, before explaining how the play worked.
“That’s Sean Payton. He needed to steal a possession. He did it with the Saints in the Super Bowl against the Colts with the surprise onside,” Romo continued.
“I told you and our team last night, I said, he isn’t going to surprise onside, but he is going to surprise on a punt. I would be ready early if I was Buffalo.”
After the Broncos’ fake punt, CBS analyst Tony Romo said he told Jim Nantz last night Denver head coach Sean Payton would try something like this. “I told you and our team last night, I said, he isn’t going to surprise onside, but he is going to surprise on a punt.” https://t.co/41OxtLxZbs
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025
Now, if Romo had shared that thought right before the fake, that would have been impressive. Mentioning he made the prediction about a possible fake at some point in the game during a meeting the night before isn’t that special. Especially considering he pointed out Payton’s history of gambling in big games.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.