Tony Romo's loss has been J.J. Watt's gain at CBS â and now it's permanent.
Watt on Thursday was named lead analyst for the NFL on CBS in a new multi-year contract agreement. The announcement was made by David Berson, Chairman of Skydance's Global Sports Group.
Watt will continue to call the networkâs top NFL games alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as CBS Sportsâ lead NFL announce team, including during the 2027 season when they call Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta.
TONY ROMO AND CBS PART WAYS BUT HISTORY SUGGESTS ANALYST WILL BE BACK ELSEWHERE
"Iâve had a front-row seat to J.J.âs growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his Hall-of-Fame playing career," Berson said in a release by the network. "Heâs insightful, entertaining, passionate, meticulous in his preparation, and the ultimate teammate. He has a unique ability to see things and communicate to fans of all levels. We are thrilled to have him leading our NFL coverage."
Watt didn't start the 2026 NFL season in his current role. That belonged to Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
NFL ANALYST TONY ROMO PLACED ON LEAVE BY CBS SPORTS FOLLOWING DRUNK DRIVING ARREST IN WISCONSIN
But Romo ran afoul of his assignment when he was arrested on July 23, after a traffic stop on southbound Interstate 43 near downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later pleaded no contest to a first-offense OWI, with the sentence including a six-month revocation of his driving privileges and an alcohol-assessment requirement.
CBS said on July 31 that Romo was on leave "until further notice," but then the network announced on Oct. 2 that it had "mutually agreed to part ways" with its long-time lead analyst.
WITH TONY ROMO OUT AT CBS, TROY AIKMAN AND GREG OLSEN SUDDENLY BECOME LOGICAL REPLACEMENTS
Watt, meanwhile, was the next man up. He has served as the network's lead analyst since the start of the season and that now becomes a permanent role after what was obviously a successful trial period.
The network chose the man in the seat over other possible permanent replacements for Romo, Greg Olsen and others among them.
"I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special," Watt said in a statement. "From the brotherhood of The NFL Today to my crews calling games, I couldnât ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey.
"I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision and trust. I love this job and canât wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!"
Watt joined CBS Sports in 2023 as a studio analyst on The NFL Today. Last season, Watt moved to the booth to call games with Ian Eagle and Evan Washburn.
Watt was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was honored as the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs apologized to his teammates, while also speaking with reporters for the first time since returning to the team after being removed from the commissionerâs exempt list last week.
Jacobs missed the first six weeks of the 2026 season following an offseason domestic abuse arrest in May, which landed him on the commissionerâs exempt list on Aug. 30.
The league continues to investigate Jacobsâ situation despite pleading no contest to both misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Jacobs being removed from the list doesnât hinder the investigation, the NFL has noted, but he is allowed back with the Packers.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
Ahead of his potential season debut â the Packers havenât said whether Jacobs will be playing against the Detroit Lions on Sunday â Jacobs spoke with reporters, expressing remorse for his actions.
"Excited to be back with the team, with the guys," he said during his media availability. "I want to say thank you to the organization really for supporting me throughout this whole process and how everything played out.
"With that being said, I canât really get into a lot of things, like specifics of things, but obviously Iâm remorseful, and sorry for putting this time in this situation.
JOSH JACOBS' EX-GIRLFRIEND FILES MOTION TO PERMANENTLY SEAL EVIDENCE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE
"Sometimes, when you go through life, situations occur, and a four-second, three-second decision can alter your life honestly. With that being said, still a human being, man, still trying to learn, still trying to grow from the whole process. Actually learned a lot throughout this whole process, legally and just personally."
As part of Jacobsâ plea deal, he was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, attend counseling, pay restitution for property he destroyed and have no further contact with the victim. As long as he meets those conditions for one year, the property damage charge will be dismissed.
Jacobs was arrested in Wisconsin following an incident that occurred three days prior, where he allegedly grabbed his ex-girlfriend trying to leave his garage and threw her to the ground.
Jacobs also filed a civil suit last week calling for an injunction and protective order surrounding evidence, specifically surveillance footage of the incident, which would restrict access to records of the case. Basically, Jacobs doesnât want the footage released to the public, as it was reported the video footage of the alleged battery would corroborate the victimâs claims.
Jacobs is trying to put the situation behind him, saying that he is "just trying to be better" moving forward.
"I know for some people this might be a stain on me and my character," he added. "I feel like I donât have to really speak on my character. A lotta people that know me in this locker room, or thatâs been around me, Iâll let them do that.
"For me, man, Iâm just trying to come back in here, play ball, learn from this mistake and move forward."
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOWâUNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Head coach Matt LaFleur also addressed Jacobs returning to his squad during his news conference on Wednesday.
"I think a lot of times you get in a situation where you might not make the right decision," he said of Jacobsâ situation. "I think people learn from their mistakes. I think heâs extremely remorseful, and I do believe he is a good person. Iâve been around him quite a bit. I believe in second chances."
With Jacobs sidelined, LaFleur has seen an abysmal run game from his depth chart, which includes MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr. and Kaleb Johnson, who Green Bay traded for with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are averaging just 59.8 yards on the ground per game, though they are top five in passing yards (269.3) with quarterback Jordan Love finding his rhythm amid a recent three-game win streak for his 4-2 squad.
LaFleur said he felt Jacobs was in a "pretty good spot" earlier this week in terms of playing against the Lions.
OUTKICK IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE FOX NEWS APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
"Heâs been training, but heâs missed the exposure to football. [His availability] is going to be determined throughout the course of the week, see where heâs at, see how heâs feeling, and then weâll make a decision."
Last season, Jacobs rushed for 929 yards in 15 games, finishing fourth in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 13.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
During his playing days, Ryan Fitzpatrick was known as a gunslinger, unafraid to push the ball downfield and take shots. As an analyst, he appears to have that same mentality.
Sometimes Fitzpatrick made throws he wished he could take back, throwing 169 interceptions during his NFL career. As an analyst, there are some takes he wishes he could take back, too.
Fitzpatrick eviscerated Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix after the team's 17-14 win last Thursday over the Seattle Seahawks on Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" but said he regretted one remark from his rant.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
"The line about being disrespectful to the quarterback position, it boiled over, and that’s the one phrase I wish I could have taken back, because I think my criticism was fair," Fitzpatrick said during a recent episode of "Fitz and Whit."
"I don’t think the effort and the competitiveness that he’s shown in the past, I don’t think he was showing that at the end of the game. That is somewhere I usually don’t go, but that’s what I felt."
The 17-year NFL veteran stood by his scathing criticism, saying Nix was not playing competitive football and that something appears to be wrong with the Broncos quarterback.
"Something’s going on with him. I don’t know what it is," Fitzpatrick said. "You watched C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence in that game at Wembley, going toe to toe, one after another. Even Aaron Rodgers and Jalon Daniels in the fourth quarter. You had Josh Allen and Kirk Cousins, and you had Jacoby Brissett, and you had Matthew Stafford just going at it. That’s the type of competitiveness that the quarterback position deserves."
Despite the Broncos defeating the Seahawks and Sam Darnold throwing two interceptions, Fitzpatrick chose to focus on Nix in his postgame analysis.
OUTKICK IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE FOX NEWS APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
"I don’t want to talk about Sam Darnold’s two interceptions because, look, playing quarterback is hard, and there are a lot of things that you can’t control," Fitzpatrick said. "But there are things you can control, and when you decide to turn it down, maybe that’s what really bothered me."
Former Broncos star Aqib Talib defended Nix and questioned Fitzpatrick's playing credentials to discredit his criticism. Fitzpatrick playfully responded to Talib in a video Sunday but did not fully address his criticism of Nix until appearing on his podcast.
The San Francisco 49ers are red-hot to start the 2026 season, owning a perfect 6-0 record after a "Monday Night Football" victory over the Washington Commanders.
But tensions can run high even when things are going well. Just ask head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy after the latter screamed toward his leader on the sideline in a now-viral exchange in Week 6.
Purdy was heard shouting, "Hey, Kyle!" with clear frustration, and the clip quickly found its way around social media. It appeared that Purdy wasn’t happy that Shanahan didn’t have the play-call in his ear in time.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
Ahead of the 49ers’ matchup with the Atlanta Falcons this week, Shanahan told a different story on the exchange.
"Yeah, it’s actually not to call a play faster," Shanahan replied when asked about it by a reporter. "It’s, ‘I need it again,’ and it gets cutoff at 15 [seconds]."
'WHAT THE F--K, CALL IT!': AARON RODGERS AND MIKE MCCARTHY CURSE AT EACH OTHER DURING HOT MIC MOMENT
Communications within a quarterback’s helmet can sometimes cause issues with getting play calls in on the sideline in time. That seemed to be the case here.
"Sometimes no one can hear it," Shanahan added. "… I always call a play and I just walk, and think. I don’t always watch the huddle. A lot of times. Mac [Jones] or someone will say, ‘We didn’t get it, it was chopped’ or somebody yells, ‘Brock’s yelling at you,’ which I can’t always hear. But I did hear him a couple times in this game, and I look up and try to do it again as long as it’s not past 15 seconds."
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Shanahan is known as one of the best offensive play-callers in the sport, but it’s not always smooth sailing on game day. The clock is always playing a major factor, but the chemistry between play-caller and quarterback is what matters most.
So, there’s no disconnect on that front, as Shanahan has seen Purdy be one of the top signal callers in the game thus far through this undefeated start.
For quarterbacks who have played through all six weeks, Purdy owns the league’s best quarterback rating (118.1) while throwing for 1,460 yards with a 69.6% completion rate, 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
OUTKICK IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE FOX NEWS APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Shanahan, Purdy and the rest of the 49ers will aim to remain unbeaten in Week 7 down in Atlanta.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
Vice President JD Vance is a longtime Cincinnati Bengals fan to the extreme that he watched his team lose an AFC wild card game to the Pittsburgh Steelers – while he was serving in Iraq in January of 2006.
Well, on Wednesday, the Veep got a closer look of his favorite team when he visited at their training facility and watched parts of practice.
Vance toured the team's locker room, shook hands with several players, coach Zac Taylor and others, and came away with a football. It is unclear if Vance brought the ball to be autographed or the club gave it to him as a memento.
The Trump administration is making a lot of campaign stops before the November 3 midterm elections and it seems athletes from all sports have been engaged and more than happy to tag along with the President and others.
And Super Bowl winning coach Jon Gruden attended a Trump rally in Ohio.
Wednesday, meanwhile, wasn't the Bengals following Vance around. It was a Bengals fan following the team he's loved since he was a boy.
The strange thing about this visit, though, was that Vance didn't interact with quarterback Joe Burrow, who is undoubtedly the biggest star on the team.
The two didn't talk at all.
"We did not," Burrow told reporters. "We did not. He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice, so I didn't get to."
Burrow turned a question about what happened while Vance was at practice into a statement about himself.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
"Yeah, a lot of people, a lot of people around, you know, that's what I love about what I do is, it brings a lot of people together, and people want to take time out of their day to come and watch what we do, watch what I do, and watch all the work that I've put in to come and watch greatness, and that's everybody in the locker room," Burrow said.
"That's why we do what we do, and whether it's on the TV, whether it's in person, whether it's on the practice field, and that's what we do."
Yes, we now understand who Burrow believes the stars are when the vice president of the country visits.
Vance arrived in a motorcade befitting a world leader – six black SUVs, some police vehicles, and some motorcycle cops.
His SUV (mini-tank?) rolled past a back gate at the Kettering Health practice fields adjacent to Paycor Stadium.
Vance is a Middletown, Ohio native. He has a home in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood so he was obviously feeling quite at home when he arrived in town to deliver a speech at the FBI's Cincinnati Field Office and then hold a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center.
FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO
The New Orleans Saint are scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris on Sunday
© Reuters
The New Orleans Saint are scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris on Sunday
© Reuters
Retired NFL linebacker Brandon Spikes has had an interesting football journey.
The former five-star prospect from Shelby, North Carolina committed to Florida out of high school and was a part of the loaded 2006 recruiting class that featured himself as well as college football legends Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin.
After a decorated college career which included two All-American selections and two national championships, Spikes was drafted late in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, where he spent five of his seven seasons in the league.
The dream for every young man growing up playing football is to ultimately hear their name called by the commissioner of the NFL on draft day, but Spikes claims he had to make some personal (and financial) sacrifices before going pro.
As a guest on the popular "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, the former Patriots linebacker revealed he wasn't exactly hurting for money while in college.
WHICH TEAMS HAVE THE MOST VALUABLE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROSTERS HEADING INTO 2026 SEASON?
"To be honest, I took a f—ing pay cut when I left 'Gainesvegas,'" Spikes said when asked about how much money he made while playing for the Gators.
Mind you, this was pre-NIL, so anything Spikes earned was all under the table at the time.
While his response elicited a laugh from both Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, who were high-level college players in their own right, Spikes was mostly being tongue-in-cheek with his answer.
He did, however, reveal the numbers were a lot closer when factoring in Uncle Sam, referring to Massachusetts as "Taxachusetts" due to the high income taxes he incurred while playing for New England.
"You played in Foxborough," Spikes asked. "That check looks a little bit different when you walk up out of there."
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
When asked by Compton whether he cleared seven-figures while wearing orange and blue, Spikes denied it, playing it coy before adding that the university found a way to move his mom down to Florida while he was playing for the Gators.
"Those same home-cooked meals I got my whole life, I got those right there in Gainesville," he joked.
If you are one of the few fans still believing kids weren't getting paid before the advent of NIL, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but players like Spikes were living large long before it was "legal" to do so.
Let's all give Spikes a hand for being so charitable to take a cut in pay to play for the Patriots.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
What a class act!
Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of the NFL season
© Getty
Four-time Pro Bowl running back Cordarrelle Patterson was arrested over the weekend on charges stemming from an alleged domestic dispute with his wife that left her bruised.
Patterson's wife told police that the former return specialist grabbed her hair and left arm, leaving her fearing for her children's and her own safety, TMZ reported, citing an arrest warrant.
Officers came to the house and found bruising on her arm, TMZ said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
The couple got married in 2024 and share three children. They have been together since 2014.
Patterson was taken to the Sevier County jail in Tennessee and was released on a $1,000 bond. He was smiling in his mugshot.
The 35-year-old was the 29th overall pick out of Tennessee in 2013 to the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent four seasons. He then spent time with the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Patterson is the all-time leader in kick returns for touchdowns with nine. He's led the NFL three times in yards per return and has been a First-team All-Pro returner four times, most recently in 2020 with the Bears.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
He was released by the Steelers during training camp in 2025 and has not signed anywhere since.
Jordan Elliott was released by the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday
© Getty
The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing to take a trip down I-95 and I-4 (godspeed) to play in Orlando next season while EverBank Stadium undergoes a massive, $1.4 billion renovation.
One that will include a canopy, wider concourses, and, if there's enough interest, something not usually found in NFL stadiums: a place to store your ashes after you die.
Honestly, you kids will be glad to have the space on their mantle... Do people even have mantles anymore?
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS FANS ARE DROPPING SERIOUS MONEY ON OLD STADIUM URINAL TROUGHS
According to Front Office Sports, some fans have already ponied up as much as $6,000 to be part of a new project dubbed the "904Ever Club."
This is being done in conjunction with the team's "official fan memories partner," Eternal Fan. The plan is to install a 14-by-14-foot memorial that will contain fans' personal artifacts, including their most personal artifacts: their ashes.
NEWLY RELEASED DATA SHOWS WHICH AMERICAN CITIES HAVE THE MOST PASSIONATE FANBASES IN THE NFL
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
The top tier costs a cool $5,904, which is a lot, and it obviously begs the question: would you do this if you could have your cremains interred at your team's stadium?
I think it depends on your team. If you're a long-suffering fan of, like the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Pirates, or, in my case, Philadelphia Flyers, do you want to spend the rest of eternity (or at least until your team moves to a new stadium or arena) being reminded of the agonizing defeats?
No... but it would still be pretty cool to tell people where you're headed before you take the ol' dirt nap.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
"Yeah, when I croak you can visit my cremains at Xfinity Mobile Arena... I was hoping to have them stored at the Chickie's & Pete's across the street — big crab fries guy — but they wouldn't do it."
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA INTENDS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH $1.45 BILLION STADIUM RENOVATION PLANS
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Considering the Jaguars already have a hefty bill to pay for these stadium renovations, one of the best parts for them is that while Eternal Fan gets the revenue from the packages sold, it's also on them to build and maintain the memorial, which includes annual fees to the team.
Login