C. BREAKING — Tony Romo ignites a firestorm after an embarrassing live tv mix-up involving Patrick Mahomes,
The Buffalo Bills weren’t the only ones under scrutiny Saturday night in Denver. As their season ended in overtime against the Broncos, the spotlight shifted to the broadcast booth, where Tony Romo’s performance quickly became its own controversy.
Less than a week after being criticized for erratic analysis during Buffalo’s Wild Card win over the Jaguars, Tony Romo returned to call the Divisional Round matchup for CBS. By halftime, frustration with his commentary had already begun to spread online.
The most jarring moment came early in the second quarter. On a 2nd-and-5 scramble, Josh Allen broke free for a 26-yard gain. Romo, however, mistakenly credited the run to Patrick Mahomes
, a glaring error that stunned viewers.
The mistake felt especially awkward given the context. Mahomes was not part of the postseason, as the Kansas City Chiefs endured a nightmare 6–11 season, and Mahomes himself was sidelined by a season-ending ligament injury.
Social media reacted instantly. Fans questioned Romo’s focus, energy, and overall sharpness. Some wondered whether illness was affecting him. Others went further, calling his performance flat, confusing, and far removed from the analyst who once drew praise for anticipation and insight.
Criticism intensified as the broadcast continued. Several sequences left viewers unclear about down-and-distance or game situation, prompting accusations that the booth had lost track of the moment during a tightly contested playoff game.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy led the backlash, highlighting a stretch of commentary he described as “the most confusing two minutes in football broadcasting.” Portnoy questioned why spotters failed to correct obvious errors in real time.
The criticism was not isolated to one game. Romo’s postseason has been dotted with odd moments, including awkward laughter, unexplained groans, and reactions that some fans described as distracting rather than insightful.
Earlier in the week, Romo addressed the growing backlash, revealing that illness had affected members of the CBS broadcast crew during their trip to Jacksonville. He acknowledged the criticism but dismissed it as part of the job.
“Anytime you’re on the air for three hours, things won’t be perfect,” Romo said. “You just go back to work. That’s part of sports.”
Despite the noise, CBS is standing firmly behind its lead analyst. According to a report from Front Office Sports, network executives view the criticism as a distorted media narrative and have expressed no internal concerns about Romo’s performance.
As Buffalo processed another painful playoff exit, the debate surrounding Romo continued to grow. For some viewers, the mistake was human. For others, it symbolized a broader decline that has become harder to ignore during the league’s biggest moments.
In a postseason defined by fine margins and heightened emotion, even the voices calling the game are now part of the story.
