Jim Nantz wants ‘Tony Romo money’ in next CBS contract?

CBS was left with little choice last year but to pay Tony Romo an exorbitant amount of money to keep arguably the best NFL color analyst on television in the fold, and Jim Nantz clearly noticed.

According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Nantz is looking for “Tony Romo money” as negotiations with CBS Sports on a new contact get underway.

In the last 30 years, Jim Nantz has become the face and voice of CBS Sports,” Nantz’s agent Sandy Montag told The Post.

“The network has become synonymous with his voice and his leadership.”

Nantz currently is working under a deal that pays $6.5 million per year. The contract, however, is said to be coming to an end early next summer.

In February, Romo and CBS agreed to terms on a record-breaking deal. The terms of the deal are believed to be for 10 years and pay the former NFL star an incredible $17 million, which makes Romo easily the highest-paid NFL analyst ever.

Nantz of course holds serious leverage in the upcoming contract talks. Having been with CBS for three decades, Nantz is without question the voice of the network’s sports coverage. What’s more, Nantz fills numerous roles with CBS.

The longtime broadcaster not only handles NFL announcing duties alongside Romo, but Nantz also calls games during the Final Four and covers numerous golf tournaments for the network. The latter includes his longtime role as host/announcer for the Masters, which perhaps is Nantz’s most recognizable duties with CBS.

After all, Nantz’s “Hello, Friends” approach to covering the Masters and broadcasting style perfectly matches the vibe of Augusta National, and he famously coined the phrase, “A Tradition Unlike Any Other” for the revered tournament.