It would not be surprising if Tony Romo carries added baggage into CBS Sports’ AFC Championship Game booth Sunday evening.
Romo, a former Cowboys quarterback, will be under pressure while dissecting two of the game’s best signal callers, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
Yet Romo’s biggest challenge is the cloud cast by another former Dallas QB, ESPN’s Troy Aikman (last week he bluntly stated the officials tilted toward Mahomes), that will be hovering over CBS’ No. 1 NFL analyst.
Aikman lashed out a couple of times on ESPN during the Texans-Chiefs Wild Card Game. After Mahomes slid late, drawing a penalty flag on the Texans, Aikman said: “Oh, come on. He [Mahomes] is a runner and I could not disagree on that one more….They [the NFL] gotta address this in the offseason. You can’t, as a quarterback, run around and play games with defenders and be able to draw a penalty.”
Then, in another sequence, Mahomes took a pratfall, aka flop. Aikman rendered a clear judgement: “He [Mahomes] is trying to draw the penalty. You see that rather than run out of bounds, he slows down. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league.”
Now, NFL suits are hoping the subject of Mahomes being “protected” by the officials doesn’t become a dominating theme during the AFC Championship Game.
So, what about that imaginary baggage Romo will be carrying? Romo knows what Aikman said about Mahomes getting preferential treatment during the Texans tilt. Will Romo, if Mahomes gets a similar call Sunday in the title game, make such a big issue out of it? Or will he address the call and move on?
Last week during Ravens-Bills on CBS, Romo piped up after what he believed was a late hit by Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver on Lamar Jackson. Romo is just as capable of taking a stand as he is taking a light-hearted approach.
Still, it is possible that Roger Goodell’s TV lieutenants already delivered a message to CBS. Meanwhile, NFL suits should not be sweating over whether one of CBS Sports studio analysts makes a pregame issue of Mahomes getting preferential treatment from the officials. When CBS is airing its pregame show, America’s eyeballs will be focused on the Commanders-Eagles NFC Championship Game.
It will be up to Romo and Jim Nantz to decide how far they want to push any controversy involving Mahomes. Our fabulous intuition suggests the man holding the bag, will be CBS’ rules analyst Gene Steratore. He usually knows how to deliver the word without ticking anyone off.
But Romo is capable of taking a stand when you least expect it. Especially after Aikman has set the bar so high.
LONG HONEYMOON FOR GLENN
With one move — the hiring of Aaron Glenn — Woody Johnson temporarily de-fanged a media wrapped up in the controversy the Ambassador ignited after he fired Robert Saleh.
Even an assortment of VOS Gasbags, who wanted someone with previous head coaching experience to get the gig, have been neutralized by the WoodMan’s decision to hire the former Jets cornerback, who has paid his dues along the coaching trail. No one, and we mean that literally, has a bad word to say about Glenn.
The media honeymoon is on for Glenn. Unless he verbally trips over his introductory press conference, or gets bogged down in some type of Aaron Rodgers controversy, the good vibrations will last, at least, to the beginning of training camp.
DUNKING ON ALL-STAR GAME
Another signal the curtain is rapidly closing on the NFL season is when the TV debate emporiums start discussing the NBA All-Star Game.
On Tuesday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith ripped the exhibition game to shreds, going as far as saying he telephoned Adam Silver “on his own” to discuss the failing Fiesta.
Bravo!
What we didn’t understand is when FT individually dealt with the following topic: “Has the All-Star Dunk Contest lost its luster?”
Wow, we thought orators like SAS didn’t deal in rhetorical questions.
A RATINGS LOSER
Ohio State’s 34-23 title win over Notre Dame Monday night, went out with a whimper. At least in terms of viewership.
Only 22.1 million viewers watched a championship matchup between two of college football’s biggest brands. It was the third lowest playoff championship game viewership on record.
If anything, the anemic numbers were doubly disappointing for ESPN, recorded in the year the field was expanded to 12 teams. While the expansion created legit excitement it didn’t halt a perception about the tournament dragging on making the grand finale feel anticlimactic.
AROUND THE DIAL
Even with more politicians getting involved, the carriage standoff between the MSG Network and Altice-owned Optimum continues. Latest move had MSG saying it would agree to binding arbitration to settle the financial dispute. Altice countered by calling the move a publicity stunt. … In case you are one of the Knick-less Optimum subscribers, you should know that some things don’t change during the telecasts. Like during Hawks-Knicks Monday MLKD matinee. When Mike Breen criticized an official’s decision, he said they have a tough job but then suggested the foul call on the Knicks was rotten. At least he’s consistent. … Judging by their tone of voice, and ambiguity, VOS Gasbags don’t know much about the NFL GM candidates they are casting aspersions on. … Shaquille O’Neal says the Knicks “are not a championship team.” He’s right. But can Shaq let the Free World know who even suggested that nonsense. … 880-ESPN’s “new” shows have not exactly set the radio world on fire. … Does anyone on Sports TV engage in more “feuds” than ESPN’s Ryan Clark?
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: LAURA RUTLEDGE
She’s been pulling double-duty for ESPN on two high-profile assignments — the CFP and NFL playoffs. On each event Rutledge has met the challenge. Good stuff.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: CHRISTOPHER (MAD DOG) RUSSO
The Dog usually has a valid reason for sinking his teeth into a target. His logic for ripping Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark for doing nothing more than watching a Chiefs game made no sense at all.
DOUBLE TALK
What Ryan Day said: “You’ve got to be strong enough to withstand the storms to come out the back end.”
What Ryan Day meant to say: “Our life would be easier if we could beat Michigan.”