Tony Romo gets called out for his bizarre praise of Patrick Mahomes

Jan 21, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; Television announcer Tony Romo following the AFC championship game between the New England Patriots against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Mahomes’ greatness is acknowledged by pretty much everyone, but Tony Romo may have taken things a bit too far during Sunday’s game.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback threw an incomplete pass to tight end Travis Kelce during the first quarter, leaving the pass well short of its intended target. Mahomes’ throwing lane appeared to be disrupted by Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher BJ Hill. Romo, calling the game for CBS, seemed to suggest that Mahomes had essentially spiked the pass on purpose to prevent an interception from Cincinnati’s Logan Wilson.

Romo went as far as to say Mahomes threw the pass in the dirt “on purpose” and called it a “winning play.”

"This is Mahomes throwing it in the dirt on purpose… He's got such great instincts… It's a winning play." – Tony Romo pic.twitter.com/Pcdt97LEU1

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2024

Naturally, most people did not see it that way. Even if Mahomes were essentially killing a play to avoid risking a turnover, most argued that Romo’s praise was way over the top for what amounted to an incomplete pass.

Romo is a valuable asset for Mahomes PR team

— NGB (@TheGoatMahomes) September 15, 2024

Mahomes spiked an easy wide open slant and Romo pretended like he did it on purpose lmaooooo

— VBS (@VBSofficial_) September 15, 2024

Patrick Mahomes just threw one of the worst Interceptions you will see today.

But in the words of Tony Romo, "That's why he's great".

— Hänsel (@UberHansen) September 15, 2024

Look, I love Mahomes, too, but Romo was giving him way too much credit here. https://t.co/A7HAeHS8SE

— Joe McCann (@JoeMcCann3) September 15, 2024

The reality is that Mahomes may have just missed a throw. That happens, even to him. Trying to claim Mahomes intelligently spiked a pass to avoid a potential turnover that did not seem all that obvious seems like a stretch. That is especially true when we know Romo can be critical of the Chiefs when necessary.