Tony Romo

Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers, where he made an Ohio Valley Conference championship appearance in 2001 and won the Walter Payton Award the following year. Romo signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

Beginning his career in a backup role, Romo served as the Cowboys' primary starter from 2006 to 2015. He led the Cowboys to four postseason appearances during his tenure, while also receiving Pro Bowl honors amid each playoff run. Romo retired after the 2016 season after a preseason back injury caused him to lose his starting position to rookie backup Dak Prescott. Upon retiring, Romo was hired by CBS Sports to become the lead color analyst for its NFL telecasts.

Romo holds several Cowboys team records, including passing touchdowns, passing yards, most games with at least 300 passing yards, and games with three or more touchdown passes. He also held a higher passer rating in the fourth quarter than any other NFL quarterback from 2006 to 2013. Romo was less successful in the postseason, winning only two of the six playoff games he appeared in and never advancing beyond the divisional round. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Early life

Romo was born in San Diego, California, to Ramiro Romo Jr. and Joan Jakubowski. A "Navy brat", he was born while his father was stationed at the San Diego U.S. Naval Base. The Romos later returned to Burlington, Wisconsin, where Ramiro worked as a carpenter and construction worker and Joan worked as a grocery store clerk. Romo played baseball as a child and was selected to the Little League All-Star team.

Romo's paternal grandfather, Ramiro Romo Sr., emigrated from Múzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico, to San Antonio, Texas, as an adolescent. The elder Romo cites Tony's success as an example of the possibilities afforded to immigrants in the United States: "I've always said this is a country of opportunities. If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to." Romo's mother has German and Polish ancestry.

Romo started as quarterback for the Burlington High School Demons beginning as a junior (1996 season). In the 1997 season, Romo and the Demons finished with a 3–6 record, though he earned several honors, including the All-Racine County football team and Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State first-team honors. Romo also was a starter on the Burlington High School varsity basketball team and also played golf and tennis. In 1998, he joined Caron Butler on the All-Racine County (Wisconsin) team. With per-game averages of 24.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists, Romo was sought by some mid-major basketball schools in the NCAA such as Wisconsin-Green Bay. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1998, with his 1,080 points being the all-time scoring record for the Burlington basketball varsity.

College career

Romo attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, where he played for the NCAA Division I-AA Eastern Illinois Panthers football team and was a member of Sigma Pi. As a sophomore in 2000, Romo ranked second in Division I-AA in passing efficiency, completing 164-of-278 (59%) passes for 2,583 yards and 27 touchdowns. After the season, he was honored as an All-America honorable mention, an All-Ohio Valley Conference member, and the OVC Player of the Year.

As a junior, Romo led Division I-AA in passing efficiency, completing 138-of-207 passes for 2,068 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Romo earned OVC Player of the Week honors on October 14, 2002, after his eight-yard scramble run on the last play of the game led Eastern Illinois to a 25–24 win over Eastern Kentucky. On December 19, 2002, Romo became the first player in Eastern Illinois and Ohio Valley Conference history to win the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top Division I-AA football player. He finished his career holding school and conference records with 85 touchdown passes. Romo finished second in school and third in conference history with 8,212 passing yards and second in school history with 584 completions and 941 attempts.

As a senior, Romo set school and conference records for completions with 258 in 407 attempts for 3,418 yards. This was second in conference and third in school history for a season. He threw for 34 touchdowns and scored a rushing touchdown. His 3,149 yards in total offense as a senior ranked third in school and conference history. Along with the Walter Payton Award, Romo earned consensus All-America honors. He was also selected All-Ohio Valley Conference and was named OVC Player of the Year for the third straight year.

During homecoming weekend on October 17, 2009, Eastern Illinois University retired Romo's No. 17 jersey and inducted him into EIU's Hall of Fame. Romo is the first Eastern Illinois player to have his number retired. Romo said about the event, "It was such an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame here, and with the jersey ceremony, it holds a special place in your heart."

On December 7, 2021, Romo was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class.

College statistics

Awards and honors

• 3× All-OVC (2000–2002)
• 3× OVC Player of the Year (2000–2002)
• 3× All-American (2000–2002)
• Walter Payton Award (2002)

Professional career

2003–2005

Romo did not initially receive an invitation to attend the 2003 NFL Combine, but received a late invitation to attend as an extra quarterback to throw passes to other prospects during drills. Despite intriguing some scouts, he went undrafted by any NFL team during the 2003 NFL draft. Throughout the draft, Romo was assured by Dallas assistant head coach Sean Payton of the Cowboys' interest (Romo was also intensely pursued by Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan), and shortly afterwards was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys. Romo entered the 2003 training camp third on the Cowboys' depth chart behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. In 2004, the Cowboys released Hutchinson and signed veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde and traded a third-round draft pick to the Houston Texans for quarterback Drew Henson. Romo faced being cut from the roster until Carter was released following allegations of substance abuse. Throughout 2004 and 2005, Romo served as the holder for placekicks. After Vinny Testaverde's tenure in Dallas ended in 2005, the Cowboys signed veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe, the team's eighth starting quarterback since 2000.

One of Romo's early career highlights was in 2004, when (as the third-string quarterback) he rushed for the winning touchdown with six seconds left in a preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. Elevated to the Cowboys' second quarterback in 2005, Romo had strong showings in the 2005 and 2006 pre-seasons. In the 2006 offseason, Sean Payton (now head coach of the New Orleans Saints), offered a third-round draft pick for Romo, but Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones refused, asking for no less than a second-round draft pick.

2006 season

Romo began the season as a backup to starter Drew Bledsoe. He took his first regular season snap at quarterback during a Week 6 34–6 victory over the Houston Texans. Romo's first NFL pass was a 33-yard completion to wide receiver Sam Hurd. His only other pass of the game was a two-yard touchdown, his first in the NFL, to wide receiver Terrell Owens.

A week later, Romo replaced Bledsoe for the start of the second half of a game against the New York Giants. His first pass was tipped and intercepted. Romo finished the 36–22 loss throwing for 227 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown). On October 25, Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells announced that Romo would be the Cowboys starting quarterback for the Week 8 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. He led the Cowboys to a 35–14 road victory in his first game as a starter.

During Week 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's last unbeaten, Romo completed 19-of-23 passes for 226 yards and an interception as the Cowboys won by a score of 21–14. Four days later, he helped the Cowboys win in a Thanksgiving Day game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 38–10. Romo completed 22-of-29 passes for 306 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. In the month of November, Romo won NFC Offensive Player of the Week twice, once for the Week 10 game against the Arizona Cardinals and the other for Week 12 against the Buccaneers.

Romo aided the Cowboys in clinching a playoff spot, their second since Parcells became coach in 2003. Romo ended the regular season with 220 completions on 337 pass attempts for 2,903 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions for a passer rating of 95.1.