CBS has a Tony Romo problem

CBS has a Tony Romo problem. Now that the Superbowl has wrapped up and the NFL season is over CBS has a big issue going forward. That issue is Tony Romo and his 10-year $100 million dollar contract. When CBS handed Romo this contract it changed the landscape of sports broadcasting. In his first season, many people believed this to be a wise investment by CBS including myself. However, as time goes on and we get more and more of Romo in the booth it’s becoming clear that CBS may have miscalculated. Pulling the trigger a little early, giving Romo a massive contract.

For Romo, the noise is becoming almost too loud to ignore for CBS. Usually, it’s just fans who think announcers are being biased that are most critical, but Romo is getting hammered by other media personalities for his nonstop verbal diarrhea and nonsensical quips.  Romo’s bizarre antics during broadcasts have become a talking point for sports panel shows throughout the NFL season and CBS can’t be loving the bad press.

CBS, Nantz, and Romo aren’t even halfway through the decade-long contract putting them and Romo in a tough spot. The problem isn’t so much with Romo’s contract it’s with his actual work in the booth. Romo was a revolutionary broadcaster in his first season. diagnosing plays, breaking down players he was familiar with in the league adding to the broadcast. Now it’s become a caricature of a broadcast with Romo constantly stepping on Nantz’s calls. At times it also seems like he’s on his own personal tape delay. As mentioned on our very own Zolak and Bertrand show on Tuesday afternoon Tom Brady will be joining the NFL broadcast booth next season. Brady will be in the booth for Fox next season and the magnifying glass will be on him from the jump.

It’s still possible for Romo to turn it around and recapture that first-season magic but he’s going to have to seriously decrease the nonsense and give fans the in-depth analysis they’re looking for. Brady on the other hand is going in with a fresh start looking to impress fans as Romo did in his first season, finding the line is where Brady will need to differentiate from Romo.

Brady doesn’t come across as over the top as Romo in the small media snippets we’ve seen. This will need to continue while Brady looks to find his own way to appeal to viewers. Outside of the fact he’s a 7x Super Bowl champion. I’m still skeptical of Brady in the booth but Romo has given him a blueprint early on of what to do and what to avoid.

I know it's probably early to talk about the Super Bowl for next season, but really, is it? I actually don't think it's ever too early to start speculating and wishing for your team to make it all the way next year. This year was so very close for my team, the Detroit Lions. But, no cigar. So, maybe next year will be our year. But, aside from the Lions, there are other teams that are on target to be major contenders next season. Some of them didn't even make the playoffs this year. So, what are some early Super Bowl contenders for next season?

Before we get into those contenders, let's look at why next season is already shaping up to be so exciting. For me, the main reason is because a whopping seven teams have new head coaches. That's really going to change the makeup of those teams. The Atlanta Falcons have brought on Raheem Morris. The Carolina Panthers have Dave Canales. The Las Vegas Raiders have knabbed Antonio Pierce. The Los Angeles Chargers have Jim Harbaugh. The New England Patriots have promoted Jerod Mayo. The Seattle Seahawks have brought on Mike Macdonald. The Tennessee Titans have hired Brian Callahan. Finally, The Washington Commanders have hired Dan Quinn.

Of those new coaches, the most interesting to me is Harbaugh for the Chargers. For Harbaugh, this is his final shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy. He just won a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines, and now, he wants a Super Bowl victory. He has a chance with the Chargers' stellar quarterback Justin Herbert. But, it will take time, in my opinion. I mean, it could take time with any of these teams with new coaches. That said, the Houston Texans had a rookie coach this year in DeMeco Ryans, and they almost went all the way, so all things are possible.

Let's get into seven early Super Bowl contenders for next season with my commentary.

One thing I like about this list is that I'm not necessarily even picking teams that made it to the playoffs this year. I'm picking teams that I think could be strong enough next season. The Seattle Seahawks are one of those teams. Their new coach, Mike Macdonald, is the former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Enough said. This guy is golden. Seattle's defense is going to improve drastically with him at the helm, and they could go all the way very soon.

The Buffalo Bills missed the playoffs by a hair. They played so well against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it just wasn't enough. Josh Allen is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he hasn't taken them there. Will next year be the year? Maybe.

The Houston Texans will be the team to beat very soon. They pulled off an incredible season with a rookie coach and quarterback. They're just getting started. The team got first place in AFC South this season but lost in the divisional round to the Baltimore Ravens.

Speaking of the Baltimore Ravens, I'm still shocked that they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. I think pretty much everyone was at least a little surprised. But, Lamar Jackson is back next year, and he's not going to let it slip away again. Next year could be their year.

It was a massive decline for the Philadelphia Eagles towards the end of last season. Everything fell apart at the seams. But, the Eagles have legacy, and they have Jalen Hurts. As long as he's healthy, the Eagles will be back next year ready to fight.

Yikes. Can the Green Bay Packers really be this good already? They almost upset the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs this year. Jordan Love is the real deal. Watch out for this young team next year.

Okay, yes, I'm a Detroit Lions fan, born and raised. But, I think there's reason to believe that the Detroit Lions can and will be back next year. They've had a taste of victory, and they liked it. Plus, golden guy Ben Johnson is coming back to Detroit, and he wants to take the Lions all the way. Jared Goff is playing fantastic football, too. The Lions could really make it to their first Super Bowl next season. What do you think? Let me know here.