Four dead grandparents. One bizarre explanation. And now, a viral bodycam video. Tony Romo’s July 23 traffic stop in Wisconsin has raised plenty of questions. And for multiple reasons. For starters, when authorities pulled him over, Romo claimed, “I’m going to meet grandma and grandpa.” But the deceit barely held up, as all four of his grandparents are dead, per publicly available records.
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What’s more, officers then spotted an open container of alcohol inside Romo’s vehicle and put his sobriety to the test. While the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback initially resisted taking the breathalyzer, he was arrested on suspicion of OWI. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of the downward spiral. Romo was not only suspended from his lead NFL game analyst role at CBS Sports, but also faces three additional charges now. Yet, one thing that always stayed constant, despite Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ public support through the mounting controversy, was the silence from Romo’s side… Up until now.
A spokesperson told TMZ: “Tony accepts full responsibility for his actions and has taken proactive steps to ensure that this isolated civil matter is properly resolved. We are working with local authorities to bring this matter to a close, and we are communicating with CBS about next steps.”
Notably, Romo is facing the following three citations after his OWI arrest:
- Operating while intoxicated
- Unsafe passing on the right side
- Having open intoxicants in his vehicle
On July 27, he was already hit with a citation for refusing an intoxication test. Now, Romo is reportedly set to return to court on September 21, when all four citations are expected to be addressed. However, he will find some comfort in knowing Jerry Jones has his back.
“Been talking to him,” Jones said on August 1 when asked about Romo’s situation. “The real question is, and I don’t even have to think what the answer is: ‘Do you think Tony Romo knows how to get up when he gets knocked down?’ He’s had a life of that.
“And absolutely, that’s one of his greatest attributes is that he can handle adversity. This is something that he will work through.”
Their relationship goes deeper than football. It is a father-son bond, as confessed by both Jones and Romo. And in many ways, Jones helped open the door to Romo’s rise: the quarterback left high school without a single FBS scholarship offer, received a late invitation to the NFL combine and ultimately went undrafted. Then, when coach Bill Parcells finally gave him a shot, he threw an interception.
But Jones saw a spark in the young quarterback and never stopped believing in him. Their connection grew far beyond the football field, even leading to vacations together in the Bahamas. Now, with Romo facing an OWI situation, Jones remains confident that his ‘son’ will find his way through it.
The underlying incident happened July 23 on southbound Interstate 43 in Milwaukee. Officers pulled him over for a traffic violation and grew suspicious that he was driving under the influence. “Because I’m coming from the golf course, you think that I’m drunk?” Romo asked the officer at the scene.
The stop began at around 5:30 p.m., according to the Milwaukee County arrest report. During the field sobriety testing, Romo had difficulty with some of the exercises and reportedly told the deputy that he had undergone back surgeries. The testing took place in a parking garage, and Romo asked about contacting his lawyer before he was taken into custody.
Romo has no publicly known history of substance abuse or addiction.
Where things stand with Tony Romo’s broadcasting career at CBS
The arrest has already cost Tony Romo his seat in the broadcast booth, at least for now. CBS Sports placed him on indefinite leave just days after the incident became public, with network president David Berson confirming there’s currently no timeline for when, or if, a decision will be made about his long-term future with the company.
“It’s an evolving situation, and therefore we’re still assessing,” Berson said. “There is no timetable or final decision at this time. I hope you can respect and appreciate this is a personnel matter and a legal one for Tony, so I can’t speak to that aspect of things.”
CBS has not said that Romo is permanently out of the network’s plans. However, it has already made a significant change to its top NFL broadcast team, with former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt stepping in alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.
Watt had previously worked as CBS’ No. 2 analyst with Ian Eagle, so the move represents an important promotion rather than an entirely new role for him.
For now, Romo’s next major date is his court appearance in Wisconsin. What follows could have a major bearing on how the situation develops, while CBS continues its own review behind the scenes. After nearly a decade as one of the network’s most recognizable NFL voices, Romo’s next chapter is still difficult to predict.
His current situation could put his lucrative CBS deal under a microscope. He previously signed a 10-year, $180 million contract with the network, with roughly four years and $72 million still remaining. CBS could potentially invoke a morals clause to escape the money it still owes him.