“You’re robbing the fans": Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe criticizes Tony Romo's broadcasting style
Tony Romo initially rose to fame as a broadcaster because of his ability to mostly accurately predict what an offense was going to do, something that many fans and Shannon Sharpe now take issue with. Romo will look at the formation and use his own NFL experience to relay what's going on and what might happen to the audience at home.
He has since been criticized massively for his play-by-play style, and Sharpe, a Hall of Famer himself, has had enough of it. Speaking with Chad Ochocinco on the "Nightcap" podcast, he said:
“You’re robbing the fans listening at home of that opportunity. Now, some fans, they love that. They love, ‘Oh, Tony says it’s gonna be a run, Tony says it’s gonna be a pass.’
"Well… it can’t be but one of the two. You can either run the ball or you can throw the ball. … You ever come to the line and hear the defense, ‘Watch the run! Watch the pass!’ Well, damn, you got a 50/50 chance!”
Romo has often called out exactly what an offense will do. Many say it demonstrates his knowledge and feel for the game, but Sharpe says it removes some of the suspense for fans watching at home. The former Denver Broncos tight end called out Romo for utilizing guesswork in his broadcasting, and while this may seem hyperbolic, Sharpe was highlighting a point others have made before.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback retired from the NFL and quickly rose to the ranks as one of CBS' most promising anchors. However, the football world has since begun to turn on him for the same things that initially carved out his niche in this business.
Chad Ochocinco disagrees with Shannon Sharpe about Tony Romo
Before Shannon Sharpe shared his thoughts about Tony Romo, Chad Ochocinco had expressed an appreciation for the broadcaster.:
“I like Tony Romo because Tony played the game at such a high level … When plays are developing I love how he calls the play before it happens."
That was when Sharpe responded that a lot of broadcasters could predict plays as they happen like Romo does and went into detail about his issues with his style. Sharpe is not alone in his criticism of Romo, as the former QB has been often accused by fans of having favorites, in particular Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.