JJ Watt Lands Multi-Year Deal as CBS's New Lead NFL Analyst

The Interim Tag Is Gone

CBS just made it official. JJ Watt isn't just filling in anymore — he's the network's lead NFL analyst on a multi-year deal, officially taking over the chair Tony Romo left vacant after his OWI arrest earlier this season.

Watt had been splitting time between NFL Today duties and the interim lead analyst role alongside Jim Nantz since Romo's exit, but the "interim" label kept speculation alive. Names like Greg Olsen and Troy Aikman floated around as potential long-term replacements. In the end, CBS didn't look outside the building — they bet on the guy already doing the job.

How the News Came Down

The timing is almost funny in hindsight. One day after a Bills-Raiders broadcast where Watt tried to show Nantz how to punch out a football — and Nantz tweaked his wrist attempting it live on air — CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson called Watt. Watt missed the call and briefly worried it was about the on-air mishap. When they connected later that afternoon, Berson delivered the real news: Watt was locked in as CBS's new lead analyst, officially stepping into the role Romo built over nearly a decade.

Watt's Reaction

Watt didn't hold back emotionally. He posted a heartfelt message thanking Berson, EVP Ross Molloy, and the entire CBS crew — from his first meeting in Arizona to the "brotherhood" of the NFL Today desk with Ian Rapoport, Evan Washburn, and Ken Jeong-style energy (the crew), all the way to joining Nantz, Tracy Wolfson, and the rest of the booth team. He called it "an honor & privilege" and said he was "grateful" for the opportunity.

Why CBS Went With Watt

It's not hard to see the logic. Watt retired from the NFL in 2023 as a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and walked straight into broadcasting with instant credibility. Pairing a recently retired, universally respected player with a legacy voice like Nantz gives CBS a built-in chemistry story — something networks spend years trying to manufacture. Romo's deal reportedly made him the highest-paid analyst in sports history, and whoever replaced him was always going to be under a microscope. CBS clearly decided continuity and in-house trust mattered more than chasing a bigger name.

What's Next

Watt will now call games alongside Nantz through the rest of this season and well beyond, officially becoming the face of CBS's NFL coverage next to Tracy Wolfson's sideline reporting. For fans, it means the broadcast booth chemistry that's developed this season isn't a temporary experiment — it's the new normal heading into the back half of the NFL season and beyond.