NFL Fans Made It Clear How They Feel About Tony Romo During His Week 1 Absence

You never miss the well until it runs dry. In Tony Romo’s case, fans wouldn’t have needed to miss anything if he’d simply stuck to water.

CBS opened its 2026 NFL season Sunday with a noticeably different voice in the booth. Jim Nantz called the Packers-Vikings matchup alongside JJ Watt instead of his longtime broadcast partner.

That absence traced back to Romo’s arrest in Milwaukee back in July.

Deputies stopped Romo on Interstate 43 after observing unsafe driving, later citing him for operating while intoxicated, unsafe passing, and possessing an open container of alcohol. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests and declined a breathalyzer before being booked and released.

CBS placed Romo on leave “until further notice” just days later, elevating Watt from the network’s No. 2 broadcast team. Watt had spent the previous season working alongside Ian Eagle before this sudden promotion to the lead chair.

Sunday marked Watt’s first real test in that new role, and fans made their opinion known almost immediately once the broadcast began.

“I miss Tony Romo,” one wrote.

“I kinda miss drunken Tony Romo on the call I’m not going to lie. Watt didn’t do it for me with Nantz today,” another added.

“Uncancel Tony Romo. I miss him. 🥹,” a third fan wrote.

“Never thought I’d say this, but I miss Tony Romo,” another fan admitted.

From the source “Ehhhhhhh I don’t know Jim, I kinda miss Romo #NFL #week1 #Tony #Romo,” someone posted.

“I love JJ Watt, but I miss Tony Romo,” someone else confessed.

Romo later pleaded no contest to the civil OWI charge, resulting in a six-month license revocation and a required alcohol assessment program. He’s expressed hope publicly about eventually returning to the booth, framing his time away as an opportunity to focus on health and family.

Industry insiders don’t sound optimistic about that outcome. Media analyst John Ourand recently pegged Romo’s odds of returning to CBS at just five percent, suggesting the network may already be moving toward a permanent change.

Watt, for his part, has approached the promotion carefully given the circumstances. He acknowledged as much in his own statement after being named Romo’s replacement, noting it wasn’t the way he expected to land the job.

Whether Sunday’s mixed reaction fades or grows louder likely depends on how Watt performs over the coming weeks. For now, plenty of fans made clear they’re still adjusting to life without Romo calling the biggest games on CBS.

The post NFL Fans Made It Clear How They Feel About Tony Romo During His Week 1 Absence originally published on Total Pro Sports.