CBS Benches Tony Romo After OWI Arrest, Taps J.J. Watt for $18 Million Booth Role

Q: Will a unique Wisconsin civil law loophole force CBS to pay Tony Romo millions even if he never broadcasts again?

No. Wisconsin’s unusual treatment of a first-offense OWI as a civil, not criminal, matter may make it harder for CBS to fire Tony Romo “for cause,” but it does not automatically force the network to pay him his full contract. The key issue is Romo’s contract language, especially any morals clause. Several lawyers cited in reporting said that if CBS tries to void the deal, Romo would likely challenge it in arbitration or a settlement fight. Because a first OWI in Wisconsin is typically a civil offense and not a felony or criminal conviction, that could weaken CBS’s case if the clause is tied to criminal convictions, felonies, or narrow misconduct triggers. But that is not a guaranteed loophole. If the clause is written broadly — covering conduct that causes public embarrassment, scandal, or reputational harm — CBS could still argue that the arrest, refusal to take a chemical test, and viral police video damaged its brand enough to justify termination or at least removal from the air. What seems most likely is a middle ground: CBS is not required to restore Romo to the booth, but if it cannot clearly win a for-cause fight, it may still owe him substantial money under the remaining roughly $72 million on his deal, or negotiate a buyout. In short, Wisconsin law gives Romo a potentially useful defense, not an automatic right to millions.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 7

J.J. Watt will replace Tony Romo this season as CBS’s lead NFL analyst, with industry consensus now that Romo is unlikely to return after his OWI arrest.
Romo’s refusal to take a breathalyzer and the arrest video could let CBS invoke a morals clause, though he is still owed $18 million a year through 2030 and would likely fight any attempt to void the deal.
CBS already had doubts about Romo before the arrest, as criticism mounted over his preparation, on-air antics and chemistry with Jim Nantz during the past three seasons.
That opening beside Nantz could become one of sports media’s biggest jobs, with CBS able to keep Watt if the pairing works or pursue expiring-contract analysts such as Troy Aikman, Greg Olsen or Kirk Herbstreit.