Published October 22, 2026 09:26 AM
The upcoming game of broadcaster musical chairs has already begun. And one of the seats has already been filled.
CBS announced on Thursday morning that J.J. Watt will serve as the No. 1 NFL analyst beyond his one-year stint as Tony Romo’s replacement.
Watt’s “multi-year agreement” runs at least through next year’s Super Bowl.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to JJ’s growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his hall-of-fame playing career,” Skydance Global Sports Group chairman David Berson said. “He’s 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 had been the No. 2 analyst at CBS until the network placed Romo on leave in August. CBS and Romo thereafter announced a permanent parting of ways.
The move takes off the table a potential destination for Troy Aikman, Greg Olsen, and others. For Aikman, the only viable spot could be Thursday Night Football. Prime Video has signed Kirk Herbstreit to a bird-in-the-hand extension, but it may not be as cheap to replace him after 2026 as previously reported.
That would leave only the Monday Night Football analyst job, if Aikman and ESPN don’t find a way to mend fences. It’s possible, frankly, that ESPN already knows who it will hire to replace Aikman. And if that’s Greg Olsen, Aikman’s only play could be to take the No. 2 spot at Fox — for considerably less than the $30 million annually he reportedly wanted from ESPN. Or the $18 million per year he’s currently being paid.
Either way, CBS’s decision to keep Watt takes one seat out of play for Aikman, Olsen, Travis Kelce, Sean McVay, or anyone else who may be looking for one of the highest-paying jobs in sports media.