It appears J.J. Watt is forming some amusing chemistry with Jim Nantz in the CBS booth, something that was on full display during the Week 6 broadcast.
Explaining a peanut punch and the protection against it, Watt urged Nantz to try to punch the ball out. Hilariously, the veteran announcer ended up hurting his hand, leading the three-time DPOY to poke fun at his expense.
J.J. Watt Makes Hilarious Quip at Jim Nantz’s Expense
Watt has taken to the announcing booth like a duck to water, and is showing noticeable improvement every week.
Watt joined CBS’s lead NFL broadcast team in July after the network placed Tony Romo on indefinite leave following his arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated. CBS and Romo subsequently agreed to part ways on October 2, leaving Watt alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson for the remainder of the season.
At the time, it felt like a temporary fix for Romo’s suspension. But at the conclusion of his OWI case, the network chose to cut ties with the former Dallas Cowboys star. As a result, Watt was elevated next to Nantz full-time.
In a few short weeks, he has already started winning over the fan base. One of the most memorable moments thus far, though, came as he explained the methodology to try and prevent a fumble from a peanut punch. Urging Nantz to take a shot, the veteran announcer tried his hardest.
“I did not think you were gonna go that hard,” Watt said as he barely controlled his laughter after Nantz’s attempt, as Nantz immediately started nursing his hand. “That was so much harder than I thought you were gonna go. But the ball stayed,” Watt remarked.
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Nantz, though, had other concerns, as he remarked, “My wrist is broken. Like I’m gonna knock it out of your hand.”
Afterwards, Watt continued the jokes at his expense, this time writing, “CBS Injury Report Week 7. Jim Nantz: Questionable (Wrist/Hand).”
Ben DiNucci, another member of the CBS crew and a former quarterback himself, joined in on the fun as well,as he claimed, “If you’ve never punched a football like this, you have no idea how much this actually hurts.”
The moment instantly went viral on social media as the fan base found Nantz and Watt’s rapidly developing chemistry extremely endearing. Alongside their football savvy and broadcasting chops, the two are also becoming more natural as partners.
That bodes well for the network as they position Watt as the successor to Romo.
Romo had signed a reported 10-year, $180 million extension with CBS in 2020, but the financial terms of his October 2026 separation have not been publicly disclosed.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.