Written by AJ Perez at USAToday.com
Phil Simms had been the lead NFL game analyst at CBS since 1998, most of that time paired with Jim Nantz.
That tenure effectively ended Tuesday when CBS hired Tony Romo to take over Simms’ role with the network’s top broadcast crew, a move Simms’ son, Chris, has some theories about when it comes to Nantz’s culpability.
“I wouldn’t be shocked,” Chris Simms said on his Bleacher Report podcast when asked if Nantz had some input. “Listen, certainly a company like CBS is going to run this by Jim Nantz. If I’m going to sit here and be honest with you, yeah, that’s what I would envision happens. Jim Nantz is their guy. ‘Hello, friends.’ He’s kind of the face and voice of the network. He’s a bigger linchpin than Phil Simms for that network, that’s for sure. So I would think in some degree or fashion, I’m not trying to throw Jim under the bus, but yeah, he signed off on this to some degree.”
Phil Simms, who is vacationing in Barbados, didn’t return a message this week from USA TODAY Sports.
Chris Simms was also critical of CBS’ handling of Tuesday’s news, which his father apparently wasn’t informed of until after the reports first surfaced.
“I had to tell my dad first before CBS or anybody because I found out from an NFL insider,” Chris added on his Bleacher Report podcast. “I forwarded the text message that I was sent. It basically said, ‘Hey, listen, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Romo’s being offered your dad’s job on CBS. That sucks. I’m sorry.’ My dad was in Barbados. And I had to forward the text message to him to let him know.”
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