Tom Brady became the NFL’s highest-paid commentator with his $375 million deal, but two years before this deal, Tony Romo was the highest-paid name in the league with a 10-year, $180 million deal from CBS. However, the deal nearly didn’t happen because CBS was also interested in bringing in Peyton Manning. The New York Post learned this information in 2020, and Brady signed his deal in 2022. There was a rush of competition to sign Tony Romo, mostly from ESPN, and CBS felt the need to jump on their man.
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Clearly staying in the NFL world post-retirement is something quarterbacks love doing. Romo and Manning are some of the more recent names to join the commentating business, and they’ve both done well in their spaces. Romo has been highly successful for CBS, providing exciting commentary while also being known as the person who can predict plays before they happen. Peyton Manning started perhaps the most hilarious and interesting broadcast of the NFL with his brother Eli Manning, The Manningcast, which airs on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Tony Romo out here predicting plays again pic.twitter.com/lc6oGImkp0
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 17, 2017
CBS Nearly Signed Peyton Manning Before Committing to Tony Romo
According to the New York Post, there was a lot of anxiousness surrounding what Tony Romo would do if he hit the open market.
In the middle of negotiating terms with Romo, CBS nearly pivoted and went with Peyton Manning. They were looking to offer Manning somewhere in the range of $10-$12 million per year.
However, Manning wasn’t ready to make a quick decision. He wanted to take his time and analyze his options well, and so he kept CBS, and probably several other networks on standby.
As apprehension grew around Romo’s situation, things became dicey at CBS. They knew that ESPN would pounce on Tony Romo if they got the chance. Apparently, ESPN was prepared to offer a 10-year deal worth $140 million.
However, knowing that the Super Bowl was being hosted on CBS that year and Manning’s indecision, CBS chose not to mess around too much and locked Romo up. His deal was worth $180 million over 10 years and is second only to Brady’s in terms of average contract value.
This story broke in the New York Post in 2020, and you can read it here.
Tom Brady and Tony Romo Are Making Serious Money
Of course, Romo’s deal was groundbreaking given its value and its length. However, in 2022, Brady seemed to shock everyone when he revealed that he signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox.
That deal clearly puts Brady in the first place, but more than rankings, it’s what Brady and Romo and even Manning are trying to do that matters. Clearly, these quarterbacks have a deep love for the game of football, and it’s can’t something they can shake easily.
Now removed from the game physically, they’re finding ways to stay in the NFL scene while also making some serious money while doing it. What more could you ask for?
