CBS musical chairs: JJ Watt replacing Charles Davis, who will replace retiring Danielson

2K8HKPH Baton Rouge, LA, USA. 22nd Oct, 2022. CBS announcer Gary Danielson prepares for a pregame interview prior to NCAA football game action between the Ole Miss Rebels and the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Jonathan Mailhes/CSM/Alamy Live News

CBS is shaking up its college — and pro — football coverage, with Gary Danielson signing off after this season, Charles Davis set to replace him, and JJ Watt set to replace Davis.

CBS Sports announced Wednesday that Danielson, its lead college football analyst since 2006, will retire at the end of the coming 2025 season and be replaced by its #2 NFL analyst Charles Davis — who starting this season will be replaced in that role by JJ Watt.

The Watt news — which was first reported by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic — is the most noteworthy of the moves, setting the 36-year-old analyst on a path toward greater prominence. He had been an analyst on the CBS pregame show “The NFL Today.”

As for Davis, who joined CBS in 2020 after previously working as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, the change is a clear demotion. As the #2 NFL analyst on CBS, Davis called a Wild Card playoff game for the network in January. There is no college football package that can match even a “B” slate of NFL games in terms of audience reach, much less the CBS Big Ten deal, in which the network only occasionally gets the top game of a given week.

Davis — who was the lead college football analyst for TBS and later Fox Sports in the 2000s, including calling the BCS National Championship Game for FOX from 2007-09 — will continue to work NFL games this season, though it is unclear where he will be on the depth chart.

With the Watt announcement, CBS would seem to have a long-term plan in place for its “B” team. Eagle, it should be noted, has often been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Thursday Night Football play-by-play job on Amazon once Al Michaels retires.

The retiring Danielson spent most of his CBS tenure calling the network’s SEC game of the week alongside Verne Lundquist and later Brad Nessler. With the “SEC on CBS” often ranking as the most-watched window in a given college football season, he became one of the most prominent analysts in the sport — and a target for criticism among SEC fans on social media. Prior to joining CBS, he had stints with ESPN and ABC as part of a 36-year broadcasting career.

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Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 18

Samuel says:

2 years ago

I’d have to say this is not a demotion for Davis. The “B” game on CBS often gets lost in the shuffle (same goes for the “B” game on FOX). While there is a set window at 3:30 ET on Saturdays for the Big Ten CBS game, the “B” game on CBS could be a local 4:05 ET start between the Browns and Raiders in front of a very small audience compared to the “A” game on FOX at 4:25 ET with Burkhardt/Brady on the call. I do agree that the cachet of the CBS game of the week took a big time hit with the move from the top SEC game every week to a top Big Ten game every three weeks. But the same time slot and the chance to be on a top announcing team with an occasional Ohio State or Michigan thrown into the mix is still a pretty good gig. But what this clearly shows is CBS is just continuing to phase out the old guard. They did this with their studio guys, going for younger and now already move Watt up to the “B” game. Meanwhile FOX continues to carry on with Long and Bradshaw who have literally been the the studio since 1994 when FOX acquired NFL rights. Very interesting to see how these two networks arrange things so differently.
Ryan Strnad says:

2 years ago

Its good to be seeing JJ Watt as the “#2 guy” on CBS’ NFL in-game analyst roster. BUT, the Sunday afternoon networks now get jipped out of playoff games (just one “extra” game every 3 years now). ALTHOUGH, this could put some heat on Tony Romo to do good in the #1 booth or else! It should be said however that criticism of Romo’s performances have died down this previous season. It could merely have been all eyes were on Brady in his debut season at Fox & CBS did not do the Super Bowl which will put anyone calling that game on the spot.
Rick James Bible Owner says:

2 years ago

I’m not saying CBS are trying catch lightning in a bottle with J.J. Watt on high-profile NFL games, he just has a higher ceiling (and perhaps a much lower floor) and higher profile than Charles Davis does. It’s a risk worth making for CBS/Paramount+. Since Charles likes to use other sports to illustrate or analyze a point, his College -> NFL -> College -> NFL broadcasting career has resembled a tennis ball he’s been back-and-forth between the two, and he’ll be fine on those 3:30 B1G games. Davis is in the boat Jim Jackson (and Bill Raftery when did Nets games) who can adeptly transition from college to pro, depending on which day it might be.
Nate Johnson says:

2 years ago

I agree that Davis going back to College is a demotion from #2 in-game NFL analyst to B1G Ten on CBS, but I guess the bigger question is how bad is the demotion? In football terms I have to look at it like a QB throwing an interception. Like did the defense intercept the ball in the endzone for a touchback? Intercepted for no additional gain or only for a marginal gain? Or was there a long return from the interception?

I believe the demotion would mirror a marginal returned interception. CBS no longer has 2 divisional games. They no longer have a yearly WC game. America’s former favorite football analyst Tony Romo blocked Davis from joining the top team. So going back to College could help Davis make a mid-card B1G Ten seems like a Major College Football game of the week (even though I question the fit with Brad Nessler). His performance could possibly give him a College Football #2 in-game analyst gig at ESPN pretty soon (How long can ESPN justify Greg McElroy as their second best in-game analyst? Give me Louis Riddick over him). He’s not leaving the NFL on bad/poor terms, but unfortunately he doesn’t have the same resume as Collinsworth and Aikman has who both are closed age to him whereas Brady, Romo, Olsen, and Watt are much younger. So, I’m not sure how Davis will return to the NFL and have premium in-game analyst position and the same can apply to College Football, but right now he has a better path in College Football than currently right now with the NFL.

As far as Watt goes, when this news came out I had to rush and ask myself if this is bad news for Romo? Well unfortunately it’s not. Romo’s overpaid contract with CBS lasts until 2029 NFL season concludes. That’s 5 more seasons. So, for Watt the only he way he can be promoted within 5 seasons is if he’s added to Nantz and Romo & forms a 3-man booth which I believe should NOT be counted out. Besides that, I honestly have no opinion about the move. I didn’t listen to Watt tagging with Ian Eagle and Nate Burleson for the Chiefs/Steelers game on Netflix this past Christmas so I can’t give an honest take on his in-game analysis. I do wish him well though. Look forward to checking it out. I’m grateful that a non-QB/coach gets that high of a position in broadcasting in the year 2025 and forward. I definitely see Watt as terrific news.

I did want to close out by saying Gary Danielson to me was a tremendous in-game analyst. I always told people he was the best in the game and so much of that was because he would be well ahead of what a normal viewer would understand about the teams on the field. That is in-depth analysis. He also didn’t mind criticizing players before social media people didn’t like it. He was not afraid to question coaches’ decisions if he deemed was not the correct one or at least a questionable one. We don’t see analysts like this anymore. I blame social media of course, but shows like First Take and Get Up! as well as personalities like a Paul Finebaum has a strong share of the blame just like social media. I’ll do whatever I can to listening to his final College Football games. I’ll definitely do what I can to enjoy it.
- Ryan Strnad says:
  
  2 years ago
  
  I don’t think Jim Nantz wants a permanent 3-man NFL booth, and I believe he has it in his contract to veto it. Im sure Romo wouldn’t want it either. If anything, Watt gets inserted with Nantz & Romo for a holiday (Thanksgiving in partic.) game.
ESL says:

2 years ago

I dont think it is a demotion for Davis. Being lead analyst on the Big 10 coverage is probably equal. I recall Verne Lundquist was #2 on the NFL when he moved to the lead pxp for the SEC on CBS. That really made his career. He was the voice of the SEC and got many accolades (which he wouldnt have gotten as the #2 voice on the NFL). Davis has a lot of good college football experience. I think this is a good move and I think CBS would be wise to bring in a new pxp partner to start him with a fresh new team.
Nick p says:

2 years ago

Danielson was such a SEC promoter how could any SEC fan not like him?
- Nate Johnson says:
  
  2 years ago
  
  Danielson’s analysis always went high and beyond with winners and Heisman candidates/winners. During his SEC run that was Tebow/Meyer Florida, Cam Newton’s 2010 season at Auburn, LSU in 07, 11, and 19 (Burrow), Alabama almost every year, and Georgia in the last several years of the run. He loved Darren McFadden in 2006 and Johnny Manziel in late 2012 and all of 2013.
  
  If your team was not doing well or had a star power player then it seemed like he undersold your favorite team and that’s why not a lot of SEC fans liked him. Some also didn’t like him because he was not afraid to criticize a player or team in pre-social media and it continued into the social media era. I also learned that not many SEC fans were fans of Verne Lundquist as the play-by-play man and a lot of that was Lundquist was very colorful and going off the rails calling the game. Lundquist did say he enjoyed calling SEC Football more than the NFL and I believe that was the case because of the pageantry and tradition of College Football but also sharing stories of many many young men on the field and in/around the program.
  
  If there was something SEC fans consensually loved about the CBS run was the theme song. Personally, being raised in this region I appreciated so much that they brought and believe that the ESPN/ABC coverage is a regress from CBS.
  - Sunrise089 says:
    
    2 years ago
    
    As a big SEC guy I loved the theme song and I thought the production did a good job making each game feel big. I have no love for Danielson though who I think understood the conference again and again. Verne wasn’t perfect but at least he was lovable and stayed around long enough to end up as an elder statesman type figure.
Jimbo says:

2 years ago

?? It’s not a demotion at all. The Big Ten title game did 10 million last year. Army/Navy did 9+. The NFL “B” game on CBS is not being watched by that many people. Odd remark.
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  2 years ago
  
  #2 NFL broadcast team puts you in line to do a playoff game. I don’t think there’s any question this is a demotion — maybe if you’re Herbstreit and you get to do the national championship, but other than that there is no role in CFB that matches getting to do the second-best NFL game every single week.
  - Rick James Bible Owner says:
    
    2 years ago
    
    Verne Lundquist was the voice of SEC football for 15+ years for CBS, but when CBS got the NFL back, he was on the #2 NFL broadcasts for 2 years, before he got reassigned. In an interview in 2014, Lundquist said “in all candor, it was difficult.” The NFL has a different cache. More lucrative, too. That’s why the move is usually College -> NFL (Mark Sanchez, Jonathan Vilma, there are many, many more), not NFL -> College. As it turns out, Lundquist became a legend in a way he probably would’ve never reached in the NFL.
  - Patrick T says:
    
    2 years ago
    
    It is not the 2nd-best NFL game every single week. It is the 2nd best NFL game on CBS every single week, which might very well be the the 4th, 5th or 6th best NFL game on that week considering the way the NFL spreads the games around between broadcasters. Go look at the broadcast maps on the 506 sports site. Sundays when CBS has just a single game Eagle and Davis were broadcasting some very small slices of the country.
    - Jon Lewis says:
      
      2 years ago
      
      Fair enough — but I would still put a top-level NFL broadcasting gig ahead of one on college football. Especially given the game quality in this Big Ten package. Any week where Eagle and Davis were calling a game in 50, 60% of markets is a week where the exposure level far exceeds anything CFB has to offer outside of the very biggest games.
  - sunrise089 says:
    
    2 years ago
    
    Jon I respectfully think you’re way wrong on this. And I think your claim that he was going the ‘second best’ game of the week reveals a bit of the bias.
    
    With respect to viewership the #2 role is far behind the #1 because you never get to do a national window. That means you’re looking at like ~5 million per game and some weeks lower if there are no byes. A playoff game every few years is big but you’re literally going years between that single big bit.
    
    But in terms of stature it’s not even close. NFL B means you’re traveling to Cleveland or Jacksonville, paired with a random assortment of cast and crew, and having only seconds to intro our outro your broadcast until you have to kick it to the studio team. CBS college #1 means you’re in a national window every week, with the top team of cast and crew, lots of continuity, and you’re getting your ring kissed by all the top college coaches and players. Verne got a retirement tour, Musburger is still loved/hated, Herb leveraged a college #1 directly into an NFL national window…meanwhile casuals don’t even know who the NFL #2s are.
    
    I certainly grant that your point that the size of the sport is relevant to the comparison…NFL #2 is leagues better than like a lead Pro Rodeo announcer or similar, but you’re way under appreciating the stature of big time college football. These are better gigs for instance than the top NBA teams and I suspect they’re paid accordingly.
    - Jon Lewis says:
      
      2 years ago
      
      Fair points, but I would say that the “B” team is getting far better games typically than Browns or Jaguars. Plus, even games featuring the dregs are usually being played against contenders — remember how good the AFC has been lately. In terms of this specific gig, remember that Nessler and Davis are going to be doing middling Big Ten games for a lot of the season, it’s only a handful of times that they will get a USC-Michigan. I think Purdue had two, maybe even three CBS games last year.
Football fan says:

2 years ago

I don’t think it is a demotion is what I was trying to say.
Football fan says:

2 years ago

I don’t it is a demotion they still have the big ten title game and good matches in the regular season, plus I am sure they are paying him more.

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