Sweet moment in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s Chicago Bears-New Orleans Saints NFC Wild-Card game on CBS.
And it didn’t happen on the field.
CBS play-by-play voice Jim Nantz had the honor and privilege of letting his analyst, Tony Romo, know he is going to be an inductee in the next class of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Congrats to legendary @EIUPantherFB QB @tonyromo on being named to the 2021 @cfbhall Class!
During @CBS telecast of @NFL wildcard game tonight, Jim Nantz upstaged the announcement of the full class tomorrow at Noon ET on @ESPN. pic.twitter.com/7fmXLAlxjK
— Football Foundation (@NFFNetwork) January 11, 2021
Romo played at Eastern Illinois.
As a sophomore in 2000, he ranked second in Division I-AA in passing efficiency, completing 164-of-278 (59%) passes for 2,583 yards and 27 touchdowns. As a junior, he led Division I-AA in passing efficiency, completing 138-of-207 passes for 2,068 yards and 21 touchdowns.
As a senior, he set school and conference records for completions with 258 in 407 attempts for 3,418 yards.
He finished second in school and third in conference history with 8,212 passing yards and second in school history with 584 completions and 941 attempts.
In 2002, Romo became the first player in Eastern Illinois and Ohio Valley Conference history to win the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top Division I-AA football player. He finished his career holding school and conference records with 85 touchdown passes.
In 2009, Eastern Illinois University retired Romo’s No. 17 jersey and inducted him into EIU’s Hall of Fame. Romo is the first Eastern Illinois player to have his number retired.
He said of the event, “It was such an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame here, and with the jersey ceremony, it holds a special place in your heart.”
