Production teams reported back to CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus that Tony Romo had the potential to be an excellent analyst whenever they would do a Dallas Cowboys game over the years.

McManus and his top lieutenant David Benson met Romo at a party before Super Bowl 49.

McManus asked Romo what he thought about the upcoming game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, which led to Romo offering about 10 minutes of analysis.

“I didn’t realize I would get an audition,” McManus said. “I walked away from that conversation and said to David, ‘Someday that man is going to be a lead analyst.’”

McManus said his conversations began with Romo shortly after the NFL season was over, and talks heated up in the last couple of weeks.

Romo called the decision difficult but becoming a studio analyst is what he wanted to do over the next 15-20 years.