Jim Nantz has shown great versatility throughout his sportscasting career, but adding an NFL interception to his resume would be next level.
Nantz and his enthusiastic broadcast partner Tony Romo were in the booth for CBS as the Steelers welcomed the Los Angeles Chargers to Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon. And despite it certainly seeming like Nantz remained in the booth the entire game, Romo credited the CBS play-by-play voice with an interception amid his excitement during a third quarter turnover.
Early in the second half of Pittsburgh’s win over the Chargers, Steelers quarterback Justin Fields committed his first turnover of the season, throwing a pass that was tipped into the hands of former Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree.
Nantz called the pick correctly saying, “Caught by a Charger defender. It looks like it’s Dupree, the former Steeler.” Romo, however, seemed strangely hellbent on getting his broadcast partner some credit.
Wait, who did Romo think grabbed that interception? pic.twitter.com/GKRyylYx1R
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 23, 2024
“I couldn’t tell if Fields just didn’t see him,” Romo said. “But he was covered the whole time right here on this side. And a bunch of bounces and Jim Nantz comes down with the football.”
“Yeah, almost,” Nantz snidely quipped before the broadcast went to commercial.
Last week Terry Bradshaw credited Rasheed Wallace with Rashee Rice’s touchdown catch, but even that blunder pales in comparison to Romo giving Nantz his first career NFL interception. Maybe it was an inside joke? Or maybe Romo just had “Jim Nantz” on his mind while having trouble identifying Dupree.
During halftime, Romo also misidentified the Steelers as “Chicago” before getting corrected by Nantz. At least that makes a little bit of sense considering Fields used to play for the Chicago Bears. But confusing Dupree for Nantz was a weird one, regardless of whether it was a joke or just an honest gaffe.
[CBS]
