Those Jim Nantz Retirement Rumors, Explained
Jim Nantz has been calling NFL games on CBS for nearly 20 years.
Following the 2023 NCAA men's college basketball national championship game, Jim Nantz officially retired from calling college basketball games. But did that mean he was going to retire from sports broadcasting altogether?
That is not the case since Nantz only announced his retirement from college basketball coverage. He remains under contract with CBS and continues to be the lead play-by-play announcer for the NFL with Tony Romo. Nantz will also continue to cover golf for the network.
"I'm not retiring," Nantz told USA TODAY Sports. "I've still got about 40 weeks a year to cover the NFL, the Super Bowl and golf for another dozen years or so."
Nantz is just no longer calling college basketball games because he wants to spend more time with his family.
"It is time with two young children and an older daughter that I spend more time at home," Nantz told the New York Post in 2022. He also talked about Ian Eagle taking over his spot.
"It's his time," Nantz said. "I will support him 1,000 percent. He doesn't need my support. But I'm absolutely thrilled for him. He's a great teammate. He's been right in the middle of this NCAA Tournament for a long, long time. So he's not dropping in from outside, I mean he's going to be working an extra weekend. It happens to be the big one. And he is definitely capable and ready and will excel and he'll take it to all new heights."
Nantz, 64, has been the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS's NFL coverage since 2004. He worked with NFL legend Phil Simms for 13 seasons before teaming with Romo in 2017. On Sunday, Nantz will call his seventh Super Bowl, and he's the first commentator in history to call the Super Bowl, NCAA Men's Final Four and the Masters in 63 days in 2007. Fans can see Nantz and Romo call Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.