CBS, others made offers to former star DE for NFL coverage

In his newsletter, Marchand says that Watt is being courted by CBS, NBC and the NFL Network, with CBS in the lead.

That the networks are going after Watt isn't a complete surprise. Every year, sports networks keep tabs on favorite players among on-air talents and producers to see who could make the transition from the field to the studio or broadcast booth. 

Watt was everything the NFL could have asked for as an athlete who had crossover appeal, as evidenced by countless commercials and other sponsorship opportunities he amassed in his career. By most accounts, he was personable to local and national media but has also displayed great wit on social media.

Whether this translates to success in front of the camera, of course, is a crapshoot. Every channel wants their version of Tony Romo, who started receiving lots of backlash this past season after years of praise), but there's always the fear of a major flop, a la Jason Witten's tenure on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." And questions still remain about Tom Brady, perhaps the biggest catch in sports TV history, as it's been often speculated if he will actually contribute to Fox now that he's a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Paramount, the parent company of CBS, seems to be retooling their NFL coverage slightly coming into the 2023 season. CBS has signed former Falcons and Colts quarterback Matt Ryan to become an analyst, although the free agent signal caller says he's not retired yet.

Watt retired from the NFL after a 12-year career that will certainly lead him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year spent a decade with the Houston Texans and two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He's certainly not staying put in retirement as he's now the part-owner of the Burnley Football Club.