CBS Shakeup Takes Away a Titans' Talisman

Dan Fouts, who called three Tennessee victories and no defeats in 2019, reportedly is out as the network's No. 2 NFL analyst

If you are the superstitious type, this is not good news.

It was reported Friday that Dan Fouts is out as the color analyst for CBS’ number-two NFL broadcast team. The Hall of Fame quarterback’s contract with the network has expired and the network plans to replace him.

Fouts has been with CBS since 2008 (he also did a stint with the network earlier in his broadcasting career) and in recent years he worked with play-by-play man Ian Eagle in one of the featured pairings.

The two called two Titans regular season games during 2019 – both victories. Fouts and Eagle were in the booth when Tennessee’s season turned, the 23-20 victory over the L.A. Chargers on Oct. 20 at Nissan Stadium. That was Ryan Tannehill’s first start at quarterback for the Titans and the first of seven victories in the final 10 games, a run that secured the AFC’s second wild card. Fouts and Eagle also called the 42-20 victory over Jacksonville on Nov. 24.

Additionally, those two were on the scene when Tennessee upset Baltimore in the divisional round of the playoffs. The number-one pairing of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo worked the other two playoff games, the wild card victory at New England and the loss at Kansas City in the AFC Championship.

Fouts and Eagle were the only broadcast team that did more than one Tennessee game last season without the opponent winning at least once.

A look at the Tennessee Titans’ 2019 regular-season record based on broadcast crew:

CBS

Jim Nantz-Tony Romo: 3-1

Ian Eagle-Dan Fouts: 2-0

Spero Dedes-Adam Archuleta: 1-2

Greg Gumbel-Trent Green: 1-1

Andrew Catalon-James Lofton: 0-1

FOX

Kevin Harlan-Rich Gannon: 1-0

Kevin Kugler-Matt Millen: 1-0

Joe Buck-Troy Aikman: 0-1

Kenny Albert-Ronde Barber: 0-1

Because of their playoff run last season, the Titans are likely to get CBS’ higher profile broadcast teams more often than not in 2020.

The good news is that Fouts’ reported replacement, long-time Fox color analyst Charles Davis, will be well-prepared when he gets the call. Davis has been the color analyst on Titans’ preseason broadcasts for the past four years.

Whether he can deliver the same kind of results Fouts did remains to be seen.