Charles Davis standing out on CBS after reassignment, layoff by NFL Network
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When a broadcaster excels long enough, they can become so familiar to an audience as to be overlooked.
That is the story for Charles Davis, the longtime football analyst who has called national championship games, NFL Drafts and countless legendary basement Couch Bowls as the voice of EA’s Madden franchise. The versatile Davis rejoined CBS Sports just six years ago calling NFL games, but last year was reassigned to take over the No. 1 college football broadcast team, where he would replace the legendary Gary Danielson at the conclusion of the season.
In the meantime, Davis was left to bide his time in a makeshift NFL crew behind Watt and Tony Romo through the 2025 season, as Watt had taken over his role in the No. 2 NFL booth.
Unfortunately for Davis, CBS’ college football schedule is far from what it once was. Rather than calling the SEC game of the week each Saturday evening, Davis’ assignments were now dictated by the messy three-way split of Big Ten broadcast rights.
Then, the 61-year-old Davis was one of the many victims of layoffs that hit NFL Network this summer after ESPN acquired it. Davis was far from the first veteran media star to be cleared out for a young gun, but he suddenly had no professional role covering the NFL, with midday CBS college football games his only chance to flex the expertise and insight he had developed across decades in broadcasting.
Yet through six weeks of the college football season, Davis has made the best of a shockingly strong slate and provided a knowledgeable and sure hand for CBS, reminding viewers that he is still one of the most prepared and effective game analysts in the business. Starting with a thriller between Boise State and Oregon on through the Ducks’ shock loss to UCLA this past Saturday, Davis has been stellar. The veteran is among the best at copiloting games with an announcer (now the great Brad Nessler) to guide the audience through the rhythms of a football game. Yet Davis also understands when to interject and be critical, such as when he chided Big Ten officials this weekend for calling a personal foul on an Oregon defensive lineman who threw the ball into the air in frustration.
Davis may not hoot and holler the way some color commentators do in the big moments, but he breaks down why the biggest plays happened as well as anyone. When Nessler and Davis called Iowa’s last-second win over Michigan in Week 4, Davis was able to quickly diagnose that the game-winning touchdown was in fact a catch.
IOWA WINS IT IN THE BIG HOUSE!
Replay review didn’t save Michigan this time.
Brad Nessler and Charles Davis with the call for CBS.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 26, 2026
This past Saturday, Davis was also all over the different adjustments that both backup quarterbacks, Dylan Raiola and Ty Dieffenbach, were facing with little experience under center for their teams. A former defensive back at Tennessee, Davis has been breaking down football for so long that you forget what position he played. There is no single area of expertise or focus; he can explain it all.
Nessler tends to take most of the opportunities for context and storytelling, but Davis can be just as great there as well. Perhaps inspired by his days on the NFL Draft desk, he isn’t afraid of takes. Davis has recently called Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith the best player in college football, and argued that UCLA could make the College Football Playoff if it beat Oregon.
The run of great games and strong work from the Davis-Nessler booth comes as CBS shakes up its NFL announce teams following Romo’s arrest in Wisconsin over the summer. Without the capable Davis around, CBS was forced to move up the green Ross Tucker, Logan Ryan and Robert Turbin (who have so far been solid).
Perhaps the entire shuffle could be described as a win-win for Davis and CBS. The network has replaced the beloved Danielson with another strong broadcaster, without backsliding too much on the NFL side. As for Davis, the arrival of Watt was the true warning sign. Once Watt finally agreed to call games, Davis was bound to lose out on the No. 2 job, which includes playoff assignments and several national windows. But Davis is in a bigger spotlight with a larger audience than he would have been as CBS’ No. 3 NFL analyst behind Romo and Watt.
All the while, Davis is as sharp as ever. Especially when you consider that CBS reportedly preferred Dan Orlovsky on its Big Ten package, you see how quickly experienced commentators like Davis are treated as disposable. The reality is just about every announce team in sports is technically replaceable. Fans tune in to watch great competition and unforgettable athletic feats. You don’t notice an experienced, solid announcer in the ratings or the social media praise. You notice someone like Davis in the pleasure of having them around for a great game, and coming away more informed having had them on the call.
The post Charles Davis standing out on CBS after reassignment, layoff by NFL Network appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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