Longtime Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is replacing analyst Phil Simms on the top NFL broadcasting team for CBS after choosing retirement over playing for a team other than the Dallas Cowboys.
Romo, who will be paired with Jim Nantz, considered multiple network offers along with whether he wanted to pursue a Super Bowl elsewhere after losing the starting job in Dallas last season.
The Cowboys released Romo on Tuesday after delaying the decision to see they could generate interest in a trade, which also gave the married father of two with another child on the way more time to consider his future.
Romo, who turns 37 this month, posted a picture Tuesday afternoon wearing a suit jacket with a CBS emblem.
I guess it's time to start dressing up. #CBS pic.twitter.com/GseSRiyNOo
— Tony Romo (@tonyromo) April 4, 2017
CBS Sports soon followed with its own post on Twitter with the same photo and a link to a full press release, making the news official. Quoted in the release, Romo says:
"When you think about the NFL, two of the most iconic brands are the Dallas Cowboys and CBS Sports. Going from one legendary team to another as I begin the next phase of my career is a dream come true. I have always known that once my playing career was over I wanted to become a broadcaster. I am ecstatic for the opportunity to work with Jim as I learn the craft and convey to fans my passion for this great game.”
Romo, who was signed through 2019, had a $14 million base salary and a $24.7 million salary cap hit for the Cowboys this season. The expected roster move will reduce Dallas' cap hit to about $19 million, likely spread over two seasons.
Romo's legacy with America's Team
Romo came at a time when the Cowboys were starving for a quarterback. It was then head coach Bill Parcells who gave Romo his first shot back in 2006.
Romo landed with the team without being drafted from Eastern Illinois University in 2003 — and eventually took over the position.
The franchise leader with 34,183 yards passing and 248 touchdowns, Romo never parlayed his regular-season success into deep playoff runs the way Hall of Famers and multiple Super Bowl winners Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman did before him.
Injuries have caused him to miss significant playing time over the past five years. He punctured a lung, broke his collarbone twice and a bone in his back.
Romo's departure from Dallas has been the most likely outcome since November, when he returned after missing the first 10 weeks with a back injury. He conceded the starting job to rookie Dak Prescott with the Cowboys in the middle of a franchise-record 11-game winning streak.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
