NFL fans divided over new CBS announcer JJ Watt as disgraced Tony Romo's replacement makes debut in the booth

NFL fans were left split on Sunday afternoon as legendary defensive end JJ Watt stepped into the CBS Sports lead broadcast booth as Tony Romo's replacement.

Watt was elevated to the network's top commentary team for Week 1 of the 2026 season, calling the NFC North clash between Green Bay and Minnesota.

His promotion arrived after Romo was pulled over in his Jeep in Milwaukee on July 23 and charged with OWI after performing poorly in sobriety tests, with humiliating bodycam footage of the incident quickly going viral.

The Dallas Cowboys icon pleaded no contest to the offense this week, striking a plea deal with prosecutors to close the OWI case in Wisconsin. 

With Romo sidelined indefinitely, viewers quickly flooded to social media during Sunday's broadcast to reflect on how Watt handled his new role. 

Taking to X, one fan wrote: 'JJ Watt is SO much better on the mic than Tony Romo. Leave him with Jim Nantz.'

Similarly, another said: 'JJ Watt is a way better listen than Tony Romo Hopefully this becomes permanent.' 

'Maybe I’m biased but JJ Watt is doing great,' another fan added on Sunday. 

However, this wasn't the consensus among supporters. Taking to social media, one wrote: 'JJ Watt has been atrocious'.

'I wasn't a big fan of Tony Romo but JJ Watt is a terrible announcer,' another said.

'We need to have an honest conversation about how bad JJ Watt is at calling games,' one other fan noted online. 

In a brutal assessment, another said: 'Get JJ Watt off my tv. This guy is brain dead.'

Recently, sports media insider John Ourand predicted it's '95 percent' certain that Romo will not return to CBS, who suspended him indefinitely after his arrest. 

'I think it's highly unlikely,' Ourand said of a Romo return on 'The Powers That Be Daily.' 'And by highly unlikely, I think it's like 95 percent that he's not back at CBS.' 

'There's a potential JJ Watt falls on his face and doesn't do a good job and then there's an opening there and they can slide Romo back in,' Ourand said, 'but that's really unlikely to happen.'

David Berson, CBS Sports' president, said in early August they were still assessing the situation and had not established a timetable or final decision.

He noted that Romo's arrest had affected the company and Ourand has now added that the release of the bodycam footage from the arrest harms the network. 

'The problem with Romo is there's that video for 44 minutes and anytime he says or does something silly in the booth, which he's kind of known for being like sillier than others, then the memes start up about whether he's drunk or whether he's drinking,' Ourand said on the podcast.

'CBS, they're zealous about their brand and they don't want that to affect their brand and they also see an opportunity potentially to save some money. 

'Tony Romo makes $18 million a year, so this could be a way to save some money. But if you read again that [CBS] statement, there's going to be a negotiation and the question is: What is the number?

'What is the number that would make Tony Romo sort of walk away without a fight? I think that's where the negotiations almost certainly are going to head.'

Another drinking-and-driving conviction in the next decade will lead to a 'mandatory jail sentence' for Romo. He has also agreed to have an ignition interlock device placed on all of his vehicles.

Romo has also been fined over $700 and his driver's license has been revoked for six months. He also vowed to complete an alcohol assessment program.