Tony Romo Formally Charged With OWI as CBS Future Hangs in the Balance

A Month of Silence, Then a Statement

For more than a month after his arrest, former Cowboys quarterback and CBS broadcaster Tony Romo said nothing publicly. He finally spoke — albeit through a spokesperson. The statement, issued on August 27 and attributed to an unnamed representative, was brief and carefully worded: "Tony accepts full responsibility for his actions and has taken proactive steps to ensure that this isolated civil matter is properly resolved." For a figure who built a second career on being charming, quick-witted, and ever-present in America's living rooms every NFL Sunday, the silence had been deafening.

Romo was arrested on July 23 on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and was formally charged on August 27 with unsafe passing on the right, possessing open intoxicants, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). A court date is now set for September 21, covering four total citations. The timing couldn't be worse — the NFL season is already underway, and Romo's seat in the broadcast booth sits conspicuously empty.

What the Body Camera Footage Revealed

According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Romo was stopped on the high-rise bridge while driving south on I-43 on July 23. A deputy pulled him over at approximately 5:30 p.m., and he was arrested at around 6:15 p.m., later booked into jail at around 9:45 p.m. and released at approximately 11 p.m. In body camera footage, Romo told deputies he had been at a golf course and was on his way "to visit grandma and grandpa."

A deputy told Romo he appeared impaired during the traffic stop, citing his "red, glassy eyes" and the "odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage" as reasons for the suspicion. According to the released police bodycam footage, Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests and also refused to submit to a preliminary breathalyzer test on the advice of his attorneys. Romo attended high school in Burlington, Wisconsin, about 35 miles from Milwaukee, and was back in the area to compete in the Wisconsin State Amateur golf tournament at West Bend Country Club, an event he has participated in since 2018.

CBS on Hold, JJ Watt Steps In

Romo was placed on leave from his broadcast role with CBS "until further notice" following the arrest, with CBS Sports issuing a statement confirming the move. CBS confirmed that former linebacker J.J. Watt would join the lead NFL team alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson in Romo's absence. CBS Sports president David Berson confirmed at "NFL on CBS" Media Day that Romo remains on indefinite leave, saying, "It's an evolving situation and we are still assessing. There is no timetable or final decision at this time."

Romo's spokesperson added that his team is "working with local authorities to bring this matter to a close" and is "communicating with CBS about next steps." Romo had joined CBS Sports as the network's lead NFL game analyst in April 2017, partnered with Nantz, and quickly became one of the most recognizable voices in football broadcasting. Losing that platform — even temporarily — represents a significant fall from one of the most coveted chairs in sports media.

What Comes Next

While it may be technically accurate under Wisconsin OWI laws to call a first offense a "civil matter," it didn't feel like one, look like one, or sound like one. Romo was cuffed, booked, and splashed across every sports headline in the country. The legal process will play out in a Milwaukee County courtroom, but the far more consequential verdict — whether CBS welcomes him back to one of sports broadcasting's premier roles — may be decided long before any judge rules.

For Romo, who spent his entire NFL career overcoming setbacks and finding ways to bounce back, this is perhaps his most public and personal test yet. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in Milwaukee County on September 21, 2026, where his legal team will address the four total civil citations he now faces. How that hearing goes — and how CBS ultimately responds — will determine whether one of football's most beloved broadcasters gets another chance at redemption, or quietly fades from the airwaves.