CBS desperately needed to keep Tony Romo on board with the company for the upcoming 2020 NFL season and beyond, and if they couldn’t retain him, get somebody who might be just as good as him.
They reportedly tried that when the network approached Peyton Manning to gauge his interest in broadcasting and even offered him a deal, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.
“With CBS’ apprehension so great about where Romo’s salary might be headed and with ESPN so eager to sign him, CBS called for an audible in the middle of negotiations.
Manning is NFL TV’s white whale, pursued by networks since he retired, but never caught. CBS looked to replace Romo with Manning as Jim Nantz’s Super Bowl partner.
In the midst of the Romo talks, CBS offered Manning a contract that is believed to be in the range of $10 million to $12 million a year for five or six seasons, according to sources.
Manning, as is his style, was not quick to decide.
With Manning not biting and with a Super Bowl on CBS next year, as well as forthcoming negotiations for a new NFL TV contract, CBS went all-in on Romo, whom they very much wanted to keep.”
CBS ended up giving Romo a deal worth $17 million a year.
Now that they locked up their guy and prevented ESPN from taking him, the Worldwide leader in Sports is expected to go after Manning for Monday Night Football.
