The former quarterback parts ways with the network following a DWI arrest, choosing to prioritize his health and family while addressing a self-reported struggle with addiction.
Dallas Cowboys icon Tony Romo and CBS Sports have parted ways, the network said in a statement released on Friday.
The announcement - and Romo’s confirming statement - comes just over two months after the former star quarterback was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in his home state of Wisconsin.
Romo was placed on indefinite leave shortly after that arrest.
Said Romo in his statement: “I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years. I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life–with a desire to win and be the best that I can be. 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.
“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.”
Romo’s place on CBS’ No. 1 NFL broadcast team alongside close friend Jim Nantz was taken by J.J. Watt. That assignment will remain in place, CBS Sports said in Friday’s announcement.
Dallas Cowboys icon Tony Romo and CBS Sports have parted ways, the network said in a statement released on Friday.
The announcement - and Romo’s confirming statement - comes just over two months after the former star quarterback was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in his home state of Wisconsin.
Romo was placed on indefinite leave shortly after that arrest.
Romo, the record-setting star who retired from the Cowboys as Dak Prescott rose into his spot in 2016, recently said his physical ailments from having played football - "constant, debilitating pain,'' he called it - led to an “over-reliance” first on medication and then on alcohol.
"My efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol," Romo wrote in a previous statement. "As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility. That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward ..."
That "move forward,'' he says now, is about "taking a break.''
Romo had his driving privileges revoked for six months after he pleaded no contest to the charges.
Police arrested him on July 23 after he'd played in a golf tournament. Court records show that one of the arresting officers said he detected a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" on Romo's breath and law-enforcement officials also say Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was therefore taken into custody.
Among the charges: Romo was cited for refusing to take a test for intoxication after an arrest and for possessing open intoxicants.
Following his plea, a Milwaukee County court found Romo guilty. So in addition to suspending his driving privileges, an ignition interlock device must be installed on any vehicle owned, registered or operated by him.
Romo is also required to attend and complete an alcohol assessment program while paying a $784 fine.
In that previous statement, Romo noted, "None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them ... I am working closely with a team of doctors to address my health and make the necessary changes."
Romo was elected to four Pro Bowls during a noteworthy NFL career that started with him being an undrafted free agent. He played in Dallas from 2004 to 2016 and then immediately moved into the No. 1 chair for the NFL on CBS, where he was reportedly making $20 million per year.
