J.J. Watt Joins CBS as NFL Game Analyst for 2025 Season

NEW YORK, March 26, 2025 — Former NFL star J.J. Watt will take on a new role as a game analyst for CBS Sports during the upcoming 2025 season. Watt, who is poised for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will team with announcer Ian Eagle on the network’s No. 2 NFL broadcast team, sources informed The Athletic.

The transition comes as CBS prepares for significant changes in its broadcasting lineup. Watt, 36, previously served as a studio analyst for CBS’ NFL Today after retiring from professional football following the 2022 season. He experienced a taste for live game analysis after joining Eagle for the Christmas Day game on Netflix.

“There is nothing better than the energy and excitement of being in the stadium on game day in the NFL,” Watt said in a CBS press release. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return to that atmosphere each week, working with one of the best in Ian.”

Charles Davis, who previously collaborated with Eagle, will transition to the college football ranks in 2026, filling the lead analyst position for CBS’ college coverage. Davis agreed to a new contract with CBS but will assist in the NFL during the 2025 season before making the switch. The network is currently finalizing his responsibilities for the upcoming year.

Davis, 60, has partnered with CBS since 2020, transitioning from Fox, where he called NFL and college games. A notable figure in college football broadcasting, he has covered three BCS National Championship games from 2007 to 2009. He played as a defensive back for Tennessee from 1983 to 1986, contributing to the Volunteers’ four consecutive bowl appearances.

“Gary Danielson, who is retiring following the 2025 season, has been the voice of CBS college football,” said CBS Sports president David Berson. “He helped elevate our coverage to the gold standard.” Danielson, 73, has spent nearly two decades guiding CBS’ SEC broadcasts. He will end a 36-year broadcasting career, making his transition after nearly two decades with the network.

Watt’s return to broadcasting reflects his growing prominence in the media landscape, also underscored by his successful studio work at CBS. His announcement to join as a game analyst exemplifies the network’s confidence in his ability to bring insights from his playing career to the viewing audience.

As a defensive end, Watt had a distinguished NFL career, showcasing his talents primarily with the Houston Texans before finishing with the Arizona Cardinals. He recorded a remarkable total of 120.5 sacks and earned the prestigious AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year title three times.

The 2025 NFL season will mark Watt’s debut in live game analysis, where his presence promises to excite viewers tuning in to CBS broadcasts.