For the first time since his July arrest and subsequent ouster from CBS, Tony Romo was back on the air this week, making a brief cameo on the Pat McAfee-fronted “Monday Night Football Field Pass” on ESPN2. It was his first television appearance since he and CBS parted ways last month, and as such has already sparked speculation about a potential return to the NFL broadcast booth.
Romo brought his trademark good humor to the crew’s banter while offering some analysis on the way Bills QB Josh Allen diagnoses a defense before the snap. If anyone should know Allen’s tendencies, it’s Romo, who covered several of Allen’s games during his time at CBS.
The alt-cast segment showcased the idiosyncrasies that set Romo apart as a personality. His boundless enthusiasm and positive attitude distinguish him from most analysts. At the same time, he occasionally rambled and strayed from his initial thought, a quality that wore thin during his CBS tenure. But in a more relaxed environment, it is unlikely viewers were assessing the depth of Romo’s observations. McAfee’s alt-cast is built for lighthearted entertainment, not in-depth analysis.
Based on the response from some, there is still an appetite for Romo’s brand of broadcasting. The football analyst market is crowded, but Romo brings instant name recognition and years of experience.
According to John Ourand of Puck, Romo’s cameo sent a clear signal to television talent executives, who “all viewed it as a sign that Romo intends to maintain a career in television, either in the booth or in a studio.” Given the millions he earned and the attention he generated, Romo’s intentions are understandable. Despite the unceremonious way his tenure ended, he possesses a magnetism that makes him appealing to football fans. At his best, his analysis was fresh, funny, insightful and prescient. His rapid ascent — which included an Emmy nomination and comparisons to John Madden — makes his regression all the more striking.
Some have suggested that Romo’s style would be a perfect fit for Netflix, which is broadcasting an NFL doubleheader on Christmas Day. Ourand poured some cold water on that notion.
“A nice idea, but still the stuff of letters to Santa,” Ourand said. “I can say with a good degree of certainty that a Netflix linkup is unlikely to happen for Romo—at least not this season.”
Whether it’s this season or not, it seems likely Romo will return to broadcasting sooner rather than later. His former partner Jim Nantz earlier this fall sounded confident Romo will be back on the air.
“I think unquestionably he will work again,” Nantz told Jimmy Traina on the Traina Thoughts podcast. “I don’t know if it’s calling games or being in the studio. He’s got a lot of talent, he’s got a lot of people who like him, and he’s a star. And he’s got a personality that’s different, and that’s a good thing. He’s a bigger-than-life personality.”
Nantz’s observations are astute. Though his analysis has sometimes fallen short, Romo’s charisma comes through naturally.
Ultimately, the ball is in his court. A studio role would give Romo room to showcase the easygoing charm he displayed with McAfee and company, while easing the preparation demands that drew criticism late in his CBS tenure. But those roles generally pay less money and are considered less prestigious.
If he wants to return to the booth (presumably in a high-profile role), he’ll need more than a winsome smile and boyish energy. Game analyst assignments require intense study (a trait Romo’s successor JJ Watt consistently demonstrates) and a mastery of the mechanics.
Perhaps time away will give Romo space to evaluate his level of commitment to the medium. At some point relatively soon, viewers should expect Romo to return to television. The question is which Romo will viewers get.
Plus: Russini puts her head in the sand
There’s an elephant in the room and Dianna Russini refuses to address it. In April, she resigned from her position as NFL insider at The Athletic after photos surfaced of her with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort. Those photos prompted an internal investigation and no shortage of public scrutiny. Russini returned to sports media Wednesday with a new show, “The Russini Report,” on BetUs TV.
While she addressed her absence from NFL media, she did not mention Vrabel, the investigation, or questions about her journalistic integrity.
“To the people who picked up the phone and checked in and offered both encouragement and honest advice, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she said. “Those conversations helped me find my way back to the work I love and back to myself right here hosting the show.”
In an interview earlier this week with People magazine, Russini described the last six months as “heartbreaking.” The piece characterizes Russini’s journey back to NFL media as a “motivational tour.”
In September, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic shared details of the organization’s review of Russini’s work. According to Marchand, Mike Semel, The Athletic’s editorial director for standards and editorial quality, concluded that “Russini should have disclosed to The Athletic the nature of her relationship with Vrabel to allow editors to assess the kinds of stories on which she should have been working, if any. She did not.”
That assessment still hangs over Russini’s career and her reputation as a journalist.
Sports media does not need to know every detail of the Russini-Vrabel relationship. But Russini’s decision to forge ahead without taking any accountability or acknowledging what happened is misguided.
Perhaps her strategy is to hope that in time, fans will forget. The better approach would have been to get out in front of the scandal. Instead, Russini continues to sidestep the conversation, fueling the speculation and prolonging the uncertainty surrounding her once-promising career.
