Tony Romo Called His Shot on Stunning Broncos TD Late in First Half vs. Bills

Tony Romo pulled out one of his old tricks while calling Saturday’s playoff game.

Tony Romo showed flashes of what made him beloved early in his broadcasting careeer. | CBS

Tony Romo needed to have a big game on Saturday.

Romo, the color commentator on CBS’s top broadcast team alongside play-by-play man Jim Nantz, had come under criticism the past few weeks for what was seen as a few subpar performances while calling games.

After an early flub in which he accidentally referred to Josh Allen as Patrick Mahomes, Romo was quickly once again a punchline to several jokes on Twitter. But late in the first half, Romo redeemed himself, showing off the skill that made him beloved in the early days of his broadcasting career.

With the Broncos driving in the waning seconds of the first half and no timeouts remaining, Romo said he was looking for the Denver offense to go for a big play.

“I always felt like you could take a shot to the end zone,” Romo said. “If teams play sideline defense, they don’t want you to get it out of bounds. I’d send someone right downfield. The safety is there to make the out cut.”

Romo even drew a squiggle on the screen, indicating the route that receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey could take en route to the end zone. Seconds later, Romo’s words proved prophetic.

Tony Romo was all over the Broncos' TD play ahead of halftime. 🏈🎯🎙️ #NFL #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/HmbjqQ3Jdd

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 17, 2026

This was the magic that made Romo a sensation in the first few years in the broadcast booth. Just recently removed from the week-to-week action of the NFL, Romo had an uncanny ability to call plays before they happened, offering viewers a unique commentary experience.

Since then, Romo hasn’t leaned as hard on predictions, and has sometimes devolved to sounds of excitement over actual words while reacting to a big play. The call on the Broncos’ touchdown was a nice return to form.

The place that commentators hold in the hearts of sports fans can change drastically over time—Joe Buck was used as a punchline for years before the tides turned back in his favor and he was appreciated as the great that he is. Romo was beloved early, and was likely simply due for the tides to turn against him, but a solid showing on Saturday helped remind fans what got him to the top booth at CBS to begin with.

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