Tony Romo reportedly received a hefty chunk of the $72 million remaining on his massive CBS Sports deal after he quit the network.
Romo signed a 10-year, $180 million contract back in 2020 while his stock was sky-high just three years after retiring from the NFL and heading straight into the booth.
But after being arrested for OWI in Milwaukee on July 23 and being replaced by JJ Watt for the start of the season, the 46-year-old left his role permanently last week.
According to The Athletic, Romo ‘reached a financial settlement’ with CBS before the announcement. It is claimed Romo ‘will likely be paid a good portion’ of the remainder of his contract after the two parties avoided going to court.
Romo has vowed to step away from the spotlight to ‘focus on my health and family’ while sources close to Romo and CBS Sports have shed light on what might come next for the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
On Friday, Romo told The Daily Mail in a statement: ‘I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years.
Tony Romo has quit CBS and vowed to step away from the spotlight following his OWI arrest
‘I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life–with a desire to win and be the best that I can be.
‘I’m going to use this time to take a break, something I’ve never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity.
‘I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans.’
Romo, who famously dated Jessica Simpson, struck a plea deal with prosecutors in Wisconsin back in September, two months after he was pulled over in his Jeep after playing in a golf tournament near Milwaukee and placed on indefinite leave by CBS.
Humiliating bodycam footage of him performing poorly in sobriety tests quickly went viral in the weeks after, and he was sidelined indefinitely by CBS before the NFL season got underway.
One of the conditions of his plea deal is that he will have to spend time in jail if he is found guilty of another OWI-related offense within the next 10 years.
Another drinking-and-driving conviction in the next decade will lead to a ‘mandatory jail sentence’ for Romo. He also agreed to have an ignition interlock device placed on all of his vehicles.
Romo was also fined more than $700 and his driver’s license was revoked for six months. He also vowed to complete an alcohol assessment program.
Romo has been on indefinite leave at CBS since his OWI arrest in July in his native Wisconsin
The retired quarterback was arrested after being pulled over in Milwaukee on July 23
Romo, pictured with wife Candice, vowed to step away to ‘focus on my health and family’
In addition to the original OWI charge, Romo was hit with first-offense OWI, unsafe passing on the right side, and possessing open intoxicants inside his vehicle.
In exchange for agreeing to the plea deal’s conditions, prosecutors have agreed to drop all other citations.
Last month, Romo candidly opened up on his struggles with pain medication and alcohol dependency and took accountability for the incident.
‘Football has shaped nearly every meaningful part of my life,’ he said in a statement.
‘I played for more than 20 years, including 14 in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. After my retirement, CBS gave me the profound honor of staying close to the game through broadcasting.
‘Playing taught me the power of relationships, the strength of a team, and the toughness to face failure head-on with honesty, resilience, and the determination to do better.
‘This is one of those moments when I am leaning on everything football taught me.
‘This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely.’
Romo made his first public appearance since striking the plea deal at a golf tournament in Oklahoma this week as he attempted to turn pro.
He was trying to reach the first rung of the PGA Tour ladder but, a few hours after his announcement on Friday, Romo finished three shots back from a qualification spot.
