Tony Romo didn’t want to be the guy known for predicting NFL plays before the snap. He didn’t care for the “Romostradamus” nickname. He wanted to be something more.
So instead he became the drunk uncle in the broadcast booth.
Romo, CBS’s star color commentator through the 2024 NFL Playoffs, didn’t give us the “I don’t know, Jim!” exclamations and random grunts endemic to his post-2021 calls, which is good. Instead, he got bizarrely existentialist, made the same Taylor Swift joke he always makes but never lands and generally occupied the void that usually belongs to the guy you wish you hadn’t invited over during Sunday night’s showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
I’m sorry come again Tony Romo?? pic.twitter.com/48blDaX2xH
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) January 22, 2024
In fairness, Romo brought his previous level of expertise to his play analysis. He pointed out pulling guards and pre-snap looks. And then, when there was a lull in the action, the dude got weird.
Tony Romo refers to Jason Kelce as Taylor Swift's brother-in-law.
Unless Tony knows something we don't, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are not married. But we can safely assume he REALLY wants it to happen. pic.twitter.com/OxfS85JlPq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 22, 2024
And when there was action or a straight-up incredible play, uh, the dude got weird.
"This is a dime, not a donkey, by Josh Allen!" – Tony Romo
"What a throw!" – Jim Nantz 🏈🎙️ https://t.co/kyCz0MSlSQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 22, 2024
On one hand, Romo was fulfilling the “color” side of his color commentary role. On the other, it was kinda a lot, especially given the quality of the game at hand. Romo was trying to drop folksy witticisms on his audience like millenial Verne Lundquist, only while using expressions no person had ever used before.
Some folks loved it. Some loved to complain about it.
romo: i hate football jim. always have. i wanted to be a dancer but my father forbid it. and my mother just watched silently as he crushed my dreams. oh i wouldve been the most graceful dancer youve ever seen jim
nantz: mahomes doing a little dancing of his own in the pocket,
— Da Down Syndrome Machiavelli (@Nick_Cerveza) January 21, 2024
Can we swap Greg Olsen in for Tony Romo at the Super Bowl?
— David Fucillo (@davidfucillo) January 22, 2024
If anyone knows if there’s a feed of the game that automatically mutes Romo, please send me a link. 🙄
— Taylor Hemness 📺 (@taylorhemness) January 22, 2024
Romo is like a band who put out an amazing first album but then fell into the “lifestyle” and stopped trying
— Nicholas Mendola (@NicholasMendola) January 22, 2024
People dislike Tony Romo because of these weird moments but they’re what make him my favorite announcer.pic.twitter.com/MWkqyuojnJ
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) January 22, 2024
I feel like we are interrupting Romo and Allen’s date rn
— 𝕂𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟⸆⸉ 🐍 (@perfectlyfine89) January 22, 2024
Tony Romo really thinks they’re married.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) January 22, 2024
Nobody has embodied a meme more than Tony Romo embodies this meme. pic.twitter.com/hJbwi33ZmI
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) January 22, 2024
no one since lucille bluth has said "GENE" with as much enthusiasm as tony romo
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) January 22, 2024
If Romo mentions 13 seconds again I'm gonna lose it
— Gregory 🏈 (@TheSportsBully1) January 22, 2024
Tony Romo seeing Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes before today’s game. pic.twitter.com/l4fmsCzlF5
— Thomas Carrieri (@Thomas_Carrieri) January 21, 2024
Tony Romo looks like a teacher congratulating one of his students on getting an A+ on his math test
— Liam (@Blutman27) January 22, 2024
