Tony Romo Tells Joe Buck 'You're Welcome' After Lucrative ESPN Deal

Joe Buck is a rich man, and he has Tony Romo to thank for it.

Buck signed a lucrative deal with ESPN in the spring, leaving FOX after two decades to become the new voice of Monday Night Football.

Buck signed for a reported $75 million over five years. Longtime broadcast partner Troy Aikman will reportedly get a cool $90 million.

While the tandem will no longer be going head to head with the No. 1 CBS crew of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, the former Cowboys QB wants Buck to remember that he helped pave the way.

"All I know is I saw Romo at the Tahoe golf tournament. I’m eating dinner with the guy that I brought there to caddie," Buck told The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast. "(Romo) walks by and all he says is, ‘You’re welcome,’ and then he kept walking."

Joe Buck made a fortune over the offseason thanks to ... Tony Romo? (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Buck is perhaps the most recognizable voice in sports (Al Michaels is also acceptable here), but Romo probably has a point.

After all, Romo's lucrative $17 million extension with CBS two years ago reset the sports broadcasting market, and certainly had something to do with several offseason shakeups.

Michaels left NBC to partner with Kirk Herbstreit for Amazon's Thursday Night Football broadcast, Buck and Aikman bolted for ESPN, and FOX gave Tom Brady a 10-year contract-in-waiting to join its No. 1 broadcast team whenever he chooses to retire.

So, maybe Romo's owed a few more "atta-boys" from around the league as he heads to the No. 1 tee box?

Buck and Aikman will make their ESPN debut Sept. 12 when Russell Wilson and the Broncos travel to Seattle.