CBS Sports and NFL broadcaster Tony Romo mutually agreed to part ways after nine years, the company announced Friday.
J.J. Watt, who replaced Romo while he was on leave, will continue to partner with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson on CBS' lead NFL announcing team for the rest of the season.
Romo was arrested July 23 on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests after police stopped him while he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office later said Romo had an open container of alcohol in his vehicle when he was pulled over. Romo ultimately pleaded no contest to a civil charge of operating while intoxicated.
CBS Sports hired Romo shortly after his 2017 retirement. He replaced Phil Simms as Nantz' broadcast partner, and Simms moved to the studio for "The NFL Today." Romo signed a 10-year, $180-million contract in 2020, becoming the highest-paid NFL analyst in television history.
Romo had four years and $72 million remaining on his deal, and the two sides reached a financial settlement before Friday, sources told The Athletic's Andrew Marchand and Mark Puleo.
"I'm going to use this time to take a break, something I've never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity," Romo said after Friday's announcement. "I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans."
In September, Romo posted an apology on Instagram and announced his no-contest plea. He wrote that pain from the back surgeries he underwent toward the end of his career led him to develop a dependency on pain medication, and his attempts to stop using those medications "led to an overreliance on alcohol."
The 46-year-old spent 13 seasons in the NFL after the Dallas Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He posted a 78-49 record as Dallas' starting quarterback, earning four Pro Bowl nominations and a second-team All-Pro nod during his career.
