The spotlight has been on Jim Nantz this season, especially with his CBS colleague Tony Romo still away from the booth and JJ Watt stepping in as his new broadcast partner.
But during Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers-New England Patriots Week 2 matchup, Nantz’s performance alongside Watt caught the attention of NFL fans after the veteran broadcaster appeared to miss part of Watt’s commentary while discussing Steelers HC Mike McCarthy’s emotional first win in Pittsburgh.
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The moment came while Nantz and Watt were discussing their chat with McCarthy about his first victory as the Steelers’ head coach and the significance of Aaron Rodgers handing him the game ball after the 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Watt had explained how emotional McCarthy had become after receiving the ball from Rodgers, noting the significance of winning his first game with the team he grew up supporting.
“He talked to us about how emotional he got after that first win, getting the game ball from Aaron Rodgers, and just how special it was,” Watt said.
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But when Nantz picked up the conversation, he appeared to repeat the same detail Watt had already mentioned.
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“He got the game ball, too, in the locker room from Aaron Rodgers after quite a moment he was captured,” Nantz added in the commentary.
“I’m not sure Jim Nantz was paying attention when JJ Watt was talking here,” a fan wrote in reaction.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand was among the first to notice the awkward exchange, saying, “This was an extreme example, but Watt had a few pretty good lines that Nantz didn’t seem to hear.”
