Al Michaels, Jim Nantz Passionately Defend Tony Romo Amid Recent Criticism

CBS broadcaster Tony Romo has always faced intense scrutiny. He was named to the network’s top NFL announcing crew right after retiring as an active player. Within three years, he became the highest-paid sports analyst in history. 

Romo was an instant sensation, dazzling viewers by predicting plays and engaging fans with his enthusiastic commentary. Yet over the past three years, the sentiment toward the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has turned sour. 

He stopped predicting plays, whether out of concern it was becoming a gimmick or that he is now less familiar with current NFL offenses. His actual commentary has become less coherent, prone to hyperbole and he often gets caught reacting to the moment instead of analyzing what happened on the field. 

[Super Bowl 2024: Latest news and analysis]

With Romo calling Super Bowl LVIII alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz for CBS this Sunday, he is under the harshest spotlight as the big game approaches. Many observers are noting the increased criticism he has faced in recent years and questioning whether he can win his detractors back or if he’ll provide them more reason to pick him apart. 

Legendary broadcaster Al Michaels knows as well as anyone how public favor can turn, as he’s been more scrutinized since moving to Amazon from NBC. In his view, the backlash toward Romo was inevitable and a difficulty of being a prominent broadcaster.

“Tony was the flavor of the month. We’ve all been the flavor of the month,” Michaels told The Washington Post’s Ben Strauss. “This month, Greg Olsen is the flavor of the month. It comes and it goes. It’s so subjective and so arbitrary.”

That sentiment was echoed by Nantz, whose own acclaim has shifted over the years.

“We’re all gonna end up on the short end of the stick sometimes,” he said. 

As Michaels said, tastes change—especially as the audience gets larger and more familiar with an announcer’s work. People like to tear popular figures down as much as build them up. 

Maybe Romo has changed as a broadcaster and lost what made him so appealing. The question now is whether or not he can change again and get viewers back on his side. A strong Super Bowl performance could certainly influence that perception.