Paramount’s CBS Sports has suspended its lead National Football League (NFL) television analyst Tony Romo about a week after the broadcaster was arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Romo was arrested July 23 after police stopped the SUV he was driving. In addition to his arrest, Romo was cited for having an open bottle of alcohol in the vehicle, unsafe passing on the right and refusing to take a test for intoxication.
Romo was released later that night. He is scheduled to appear in court September 21.
“Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice,” the network said in a statement.
Romo, a Wisconsin native, had played in an amateur golf tournament earlier that day. According to body camera footage from the arrest, Romo told officers he was on his way to “visit grandma and grandpa” when he was pulled over.
The leave comes just weeks before the start of the NFL regular season. CBS’ lead broadcast team typically includes Romo, play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and reporter Tracy Wolfson.
During Romo’s absence, former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt will join Nantz and Wolfson on CBS’ top NFL team. The regular season begins September 9, less than two weeks before Romo’s scheduled court appearance.
CBS has one nationally televised preseason game on its schedule August 28, though the network’s lead announcing team typically does not call preseason broadcasts.
Romo is the second network sports personality to face legal trouble over the past year. Last October, Mark Sanchez was suspended by Fox Sports after the NFL analyst was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts related to a late-night altercation outside a bar.
Sanchez was initially portrayed as the victim in the assault after reports indicated he received treatment at a local hospital for stab wounds, but police later accused him of being the instigator. Fox terminated his employment last November.
Fox and CBS share broadcast rights to Sunday afternoon and early evening NFL games during the regular season, and are two of four broadcast networks that host the championship Super Bowl game on an annual rotation.
