Tony Romo has supplanted Phil Simms as the No. 1 analyst for the NFL on CBS, leaving the future of Phil Simms up in the air.
In a statement announcing that Romo will team with Jim Nantz this season, CBS said it will try to find a landing spot for Simms, but it’s unclear what that spot will be.
“As we welcome Tony, we want to acknowledge Phil Simms who served as our lead NFL analyst for nearly 20 years,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said. “Phil has been a very important part of our coverage since the NFL returned to CBS in 1998. His strong opinions, coupled with his tremendous knowledge and passion for the National Football League, has created a unique broadcasting style making him one of the best analysts to ever call the game. We are discussing with Phil his future role with CBS Sports. We cannot thank him enough for the way he has represented himself and CBS Sports during his tenure as CBS’s lead NFL analyst.”
It’s possible that Simms could move into the studio role recently vacated by Tony Gonzalez. It’s also possible that Simms could continue as a game analyst, just not as part of the network’s No. 1 team. And it’s possible that Simms and CBS will go their separate ways.
In any event, Simms — whose analysis is frequently criticized on social media — will no longer be calling the top games on CBS. That’s now Romo’s job.