CBS is yet to make a final decision on Tony Romo’s future, but they’ve been moving pieces elsewhere in the network. While Romo awaits a final word on his career, former Cowboys offensive lineman Ross Tucker got a promotion.

CBS announced Tucker will join Ian Eagle in the network’s No. 2 booth this season, following J.J. Watt’s move to the top team with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson. Watt will be replacing Romo in the No. 1 crew. It is a notable jump for Tucker, who had been working on CBS’ No. 6 broadcast team.

So far, he has called college and professional football for the network, but this promotion puts him much closer to the center of its NFL coverage. In an interview on 105.3 The Fan, Tucker said his agent also handles Romo, Watt, and other big names on CBS.

Since retiring in 2008, Tucker has built one of the more unusual second careers in football media. He’s spent over a decade as a SiriusXM NFL Radio host, hosting shows including “The Morning Kickoff,” while also calling college football games for CBS Sports Network and serving as a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Eagles.

There is also some familiarity between Tucker and Eagle. The two have worked together on Westwood One broadcasts, meaning their CBS partnership is not starting from scratch. That experience should help Tucker settle into the larger role as the season approaches.

According to a profile by Princeton Alumni Weekly in 2023, Tucker is fondly regarded by many as veteran and iconic sportscaster John Madden. Tucker is known for his approachable nature, often giving fans glimpses of his job’s inner workings.

“You can hear the love, the love of the game,” Princeton football coach Steve Verbit, who recruited Tucker out of high school, told the publication, “and the love of what he’s doing, with every word that comes out.”

Today, Ross Tucker is a Sport Emmy-nominated broadcaster and called his first Super Bowl earlier this year.

The promotion also gives Tucker a chance to make the position his own. If Watt remains CBS’ lead analyst beyond the immediate Romo situation, Tucker could have a path to staying in the No. 2 booth rather than simply filling a temporary opening. NBC Sports noted that possibility when reporting the move.

CBS still undecided on Tony Romo

That opening became available because Tony Romo is currently away from CBS. The former Cowboys quarterback was placed on leave after his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. CBS announced the leave on July 31 and has not set a timetable for his return.

“I can say that it’s an evolving situation, and therefore we’re still investigating,” CBS Sports CEO David Berson said. “There is no timetable or final decision at this time.”

“We had to consider the impact on our image and on our brand. That’s very important to us. Whether the games, marketing, PR, social, the focus should and needs to be on our presentation and not on any other factors.”

Romo’s absence is due to his July 23 OWI arrest. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office report, he was stopped while driving southbound on Interstate 43 and performed poorly on field sobriety tests. He was booked and later released, with a court appearance scheduled for Sept. 21.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has been one of CBS’ biggest NFL broadcasting personalities since joining the network in 2017. He quickly became the lead analyst alongside Nantz, a position he has held for years. For now, though, CBS is moving forward with Watt at the top and Tucker stepping into the second booth.