Tony Romo Thread

[Prime Time]

This would be the wisest move for him to make at this point. Take an analyst's job and stop doing more damage to his body.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...oys-wanted-fox-john-lynch-replacement-analyst

Fox interested in having Tony Romo in booth as analyst, sources say
Todd Archer/ESPN Staff Writer

Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Fox Sports would like Romo to be an analyst, replacing John Lynch, who left to become the San Francisco 49ers' general manager in late January.

Retirement has always been among Romo's options. He turns 37 next month and has battled through a number of injuries, including collarbone and back ailments that have limited him to parts of five games the past two seasons.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/03/24/cbs-is-pursuing-romo-too/

CBS is pursuing Tony Romo, too
Posted by Mike Florio on March 24, 2017

Getty Images

FOX isn’t the only network that hopes to hire Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. CBS reportedly wants to sign him up, too.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that CBS is “making a strong push” to add Romo.

At FOX, Romo reportedly would be the replacement for John Lynch, the 49ers G.M. who had been the No. 2 analyst at FOX. At CBS, it’s unclear where Romo would land on the pecking order.

In 2016, the No. 1 team at CBS was Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, following by Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts, Greg Gumbel and Trent Green, Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon, Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots, Andrew Catalon and Steve Tasker/Steve Beuerlein, Tom McCarthy and Adam Archuleta, and Carter Blackburn and Chris Simms. Romo could supplant an analyst, or potentially slide into a spot and bump everyone else down a peg.

So how high would Romo land on the pecking order as a first-year analyst? Based on the routine social-media reaction, many will hope that he rockets to the top of the stack, bumping Phil Simms from the primary crew. (And, of course, once Romo has the job, he’ll be the guy from CBS that people constantly complain about on Twitter.)

The answer also depends on whether Romo is willing to conclusively slam the door on football. In theory, he could take a TV job and keep an eye on potential football opportunities for a mid-to-late-season jump back to the game. CBS likely wouldn’t install him as the No. 1 analyst unless he’s fully committed to the TV gig.

 

[Ramrasta]

It is probably the wise move but if he is truly a competitor that feels like he has anything left in the tank, I bet he signs somewhere. He is a starting caliber QB in a QB deficient league so he could sign a big money short-term deal with a contending team and push for a Super Bowl. He has a pretty weak legacy having never been past the second round of the playoffs in his long career and that has to bother him. He can always take a spot in the booth once he feels like he has left it all out on the field.

 

[MadGoat]

It is probably the wise move but if he is truly a competitor that feels like he has anything left in the tank, I bet he signs somewhere. He is a starting caliber QB in a QB deficient league so he could sign a big money short-term deal with a contending team and push for a Super Bowl. He has a pretty weak legacy having never been past the second round of the playoffs in his long career and that has to bother him. He can always take a spot in the booth once he feels like he has left it all out on the field.

Supposedly, it's Houston or TV at this point. I don't think the Houston option makes Jones very happy.

 

[Ramrasta]

Supposedly, it's Houston or TV at this point. I don't think the Houston option makes Jones very happy.

Houston could make a lot of sense. They have a top tier defensive unit and have made the playoffs the past few years. With a decent QB, maybe they can make some waves. Jones shouldn't care too much about Houston since they are in the AFC.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I agree with @Ramrasta and surprised if he moves to the booth, at this time.

Despite the injuries, he is still capable of playing at a very high level.

 

[den-the-coach]

He should go to the booth, which then would leave Jay Cutler signing in Houston.

 

[MadGoat]

Houston could make a lot of sense. They have a top tier defensive unit and have made the playoffs the past few years. With a decent QB, maybe they can make some waves. Jones shouldn't care too much about Houston since they are in the AFC.

Yeah, Jones was OK with the Broncos, but he doesn't like the Texans owner and likes to brag that the Cowboys are more popular in Houston than the Texans. I'm sure he doesn't want to do anything that helps them out without getting something in return. Eventually, Romo can force his way out.

 

[DaveFan'51]

It is probably the wise move but if he is truly a competitor that feels like he has anything left in the tank, I bet he signs somewhere. He is a starting caliber QB in a QB deficient league so he could sign a big money short-term deal with a contending team and push for a Super Bowl. He has a pretty weak legacy having never been past the second round of the playoffs in his long career and that has to bother him. He can always take a spot in the booth once he feels like he has left it all out on the field.

I don't think Romo's Ego will allow him to do anything else but Play Football at this point! I'm sure he feels he has something to prove! As far as a Division to go to and WIN, Houston would be Best for him!

 

[CGI_Ram]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/t...-hes-down-to-two-options-for-the-2017-season/

Reportedly Romo believes he's down to two options, Houston or retirement

The future of Tony Romo has been one of the biggest offseason stories since before the offseason started. Once it became clear that the Cowboys were committed to Dak Prescott as their quarterback of not just the future but the present, Romo gave what essentially amounted to a concession speechacknowledging that his time playing for Dallas was done, but he also firmly stated that he still wanted to play and that he still can play. Ever since, there has been intense speculation about where Romo will play next.

The offseason has been a bit topsy-turvy, with the Cowboys reportedly planning to release Romo and then backing off that plan in favor of holding onto him until they can squeeze some assets out of somebody that wants to trade for his services. The two most rumored destinations have been the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans, but both teams reportedly don’t want to give up anything in a deal.

With the Broncos having other options actually on their roster in Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, Romo reportedly now sees two options for himself: Play for the Texans, or retire.

Houston makes a ton of sense as a destination for Romo, even if Jerry Jones might not want to see him playing only a few hours down the road. The Texans have won their division with a 9-7 record the past two seasons despite downright dreadful quarterback play. If they had had a player as good as Romo under center for their divisional round game against the Patriots this past January, they might have actually knocked off the champs before they had a chance to become the champs. It was close for much of the game, after all.

Our own Larry Hartstein spoke to legendary Vegas oddsmaker Kenny White ahead of free agency, and White said that Romo landing in Houston would bump the Texans’ win total over/under for 2017 from 8.5 to 10, making them the firm favorites in the AFC South once again.

The issue comes with actually getting Romo to Houston. The Cowboys can still release Romo, but doing so only gains them about $5.1 million in cap space unless they designate him a post-June 1 release. That would create additional space, but the Cowboys wouldn’t see that benefit until June 1 rolls around, so they have no incentive to release him before that date. And anyway, it’s not like there’s some big free-agency fish out there just waiting for the Cowboys to pounce. They haven’t made a splash signing since Brandon Carr in 2012, and don’t seem to be in a rush to make one now.

That’s why the Cowboys are content to sit and wait, hoping that Houston (or Denver) eventually ponies up some sort of compensation for Romo’s services so they don’t lose out on him.

 

[Selassie I]

I've got a die-hard cowgirl fan in my office who absolutely HATES Romo. He never wants to see that guy under center for his team again. He wants him to sign with another NFC East team... he sees that as working in the cowgirls favor.

The funniest thing about this guy's ranting about Romo to me is this... He calls Romo "Danny White"... "a shittier version,,, and Danny was absolute shit in his opinion".

I really enjoy watching the suffering of cowgirl fans.

 

[Ram65]

The competitor factor many have mentioned could be the biggest part of the decision. I imagine Romo is feeling very good physically and is ready to play again. Things line up well for a run in Houston. Houston can win on defense so Tony doesn't have to put the load on his shoulders. Can Tony control that same competitiveness and play it safe to avoid another big injury? He just has to stay healthy and get the Texans to the playoffs. The TV booth can wait a little longer.

 

[dieterbrock]

Sounds like he's retiring?
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/dallas-cowboys-tony-romo-retire-nfl-broadcasting-career-040417

 

[Legatron4]

Yup. Good for him. Save his health and walk away with your millions. Cowboy fans will be crying for him to come back in no time when Dak comes back down to earth.

 

[Psycho_X]

I heard he was going to replace Phil Simms which would be fantastic. Can't stand that d-bag and one of the main reasons I hate watching CBS games. One of my favorite moments is shoulder bumping him at the Edward Jones Dome as he left the broadcast booth with Greg Gumbel and having him stare at me like he was going to do something about it.

Anyway, bad backs are a bitch and I'm sure it has worn on Romo's confidence that he hasn't been able to stay healthy taking normal NFL hits the last several years behind the best o-line in football. He's made well over $100 million in his career and if his best option is a team with a bad offensive line the option seems clear.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Could be a trick to get released, then backtrack to sign with a QB desperate team later. Free from Jerry's grasp.

 

[A55VA6]

Tony Romo had a good career for a guy that went undrafted. Very bright guy, he'll be great in the booth.

 

[MadGoat]

Could be a trick to get released, then backtrack to sign with a QB desperate team later. Free from Jerry's grasp.

It looks like the Cowboys get a little salary cap relief from Romo retiring, but Romo un-retiring would be a problem for them. I don't see any way they could fit his contract back under the cap.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...will-keep-door-open-for-a-return-to-football/

Romo’s TV deal likely will keep door open for a return to football
Posted by Mike Florio on April 4, 2017

Getty Images

Depending upon which report(s) you believe, Tony Romo is, or isn’t, retiring from football. Some are trying to tiptoe on the tightrope between declaring that he’s done vs. done for now, and for good reason.

For weeks, a sense has persisted in league circles that, if Romo chooses broadcasting, he’ll negotiate his contract to allow for a return to football during the season.

If that’s the approach, it would be an acknowledgement that Romo can’t make it through a full season, but an indication that he could be intrigued by the possibility of sliding into the right situation, if an untimely injury to a starter on a contending team opens the door for an attempt to take a contender deep into the postseason.

To properly lay the foundation for such a move, Romo needs to be released by the Cowboys. If they would instead place him on the reserve/retired list, he’d first need to get them to release him if/when he wants to return. And if he wants to return because a team develops a sudden need for his services, the Cowboys may choose at that point to try to get something in return for his rights.

Then there’s the potential complication that would arise from a return after the trade deadline. At that point, Romo would be subject to waivers — which means that any other team could squat on his contract and keep him from going where he wants to go.

So a free and clear release makes sense for Romo. It also makes sense for the Cowboys, since it would allow the cap charge to be spread over two years. Still, what makes sense and what actually happens have at times been at odds in this saga, so there’s no reason to try to predict with certainty where this roller coaster is heading next.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-heads-to-cbs-expected-to-replace-phil-simms/

Report: Tony Romo heads to CBS, expected to replace Phil Simms
Posted by Michael David Smith on April 4, 2017

Tony Romo has drawn interest from multiple TV networks, but he has reportedly already decided which one he’ll work for in 2017.

Romo will retire from the NFL and work for CBS this season, Sports Business Journal reports.

According to the report, Romo is expected to replace Phil Simms as the commentator on the No. 1 broadcast pairing. Romo and Jim Nantz will work the top CBS game on most Sunday afternoons, although there are apparently questions about whether Romo, as a rookie broadcaster, will be prepared to handle double duty in the weeks when CBS has Thursday night games. The NFL has told its Thursday night broadcast partners that they need to put their No. 1 team on Thursday nights.

It is unclear whether Simms will be demoted to the No. 2 team on CBS, or whether he could be out at CBS altogether.

 

[Rynie]

Yup. Good for him. Save his health and walk away with your millions. Cowboy fans will be crying for him to come back in no time when Dak comes back down to earth.

All fanbases have those types of fans. There would be a bunch of rams fans doing the same thing if it was your team.

 

[Prime Time]

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/04/04/tony-romo-leaving-football-for-television

Why Tony Romo Is Leaving the Game—for Now
The longtime Cowboys leader found a surprisingly soft market for his quarterbacking talents, at which point the question he had to ask himself was: Is it worth it?
by Albert Breer

Photo: Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Some football players can’t fathom what it’d be like to go into a summer without training camp hanging over their heads, or a fall without a slate of games to play.

Tony Romo was never that guy.

And that’s the first thing I thought of when the news broke early Tuesday morning that the Cowboys quarterback was making the decision to walk away from football—at least for now—at the age of 37. We’ll get to that, which is a major part of it.

But let’s start with how and why this went down when it did. Dallas was readying to release him ahead of what was always the real deadline here, the April 17 start of the Cowboys’ offseason program. They gave him permission to seek a trade and, as they did, we’ve gotten clues over the last few weeks that this alternative ending was possible.

First, it wasn’t so much the rumblings of interest from CBS and FOX (that was to be expected) in March, as it was that those rumors weren’t quickly shot from the sky by Romo’s camp. Second, last week at the NFL meetings, I asked Dallas owner Jerry Jones—who’s handled this whole situation on one-on-one basis with Romo—if there was a point when he’d need this particular organizational loose end to be tied up.

“Before training camp,” he answered.

Therein, and inadvertently, Jones provided perhaps the most illuminating tell of all.

Camp is four months away. And so Jones gave us all a window into the reality of the situation: the lack of pressure on the Cowboys to get something done, the lack of fervor from the other 31 teams to pursue Romo, and the fact that, sad as might be, this decision really became one that had a far larger personal than professional impact on the Jones family’s football team.

That wasn’t easy on Romo, to be sure. In fact, as recently as seven or eight months ago the idea of this unfolding the way it has for a guy who was the unchallenged leader of the Cowboys for a decade would’ve been unfathomable. But it quickly became clear that Dak Prescott was no flash-in-the-pan, and that he could provide Dallas with a younger, cheaper, more durable successor to Romo.

And then, two pretty massive reality checks hit for Romo, who turns 37 later this month.

One came in mid-November, when Romo went into ownership and asked not for his job back, but to be given the chance to compete for it. He was told no. It was explained to Romo that, for a variety reasons, it didn’t make sense for the Cowboys to open a quarterback competition in the middle of a fight for the NFC East title.

“I can’t tell you how much I respect the man,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones told me that week. “It’s hard. It’s hard. It’s a hard one on Tony, and it’s hard on everyone who loves Tony, and that’s this team and this organization. And at the same time, we’re all in on Dak as well, and Dak sees the compassion from Tony, and he has to love it. Everyone’s going to go through this at some point.”

The Cowboys wound up winning the NFC East and the top seed in the playoffs, and Prescott played plenty well enough to win in a divisional-round loss to the Packers that set the stage for the next blow to Romo’s psyche.

That came slowly over the last two months. The market simply never materialized. The Texans were very legitimately interested, but only on their terms. The Broncos were merely curious, and mostly committed to developing their young quarterbacks, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, which is what new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was hired to do.

So the Peyton Manning-like recruiting tour not only didn’t happen for Romo—it flat-out wasn’t out there for him if he’d wanted it.

Add all this up, and in less than a year Romo suffered another major injury, was unseated by a fourth-round pick, asked for a chance to win his job back and was told he couldn’t, and then—with his decade as a starter in Dallas clearly over—got a lukewarm (at best) reception from the rest of the league to his availability.

That’s a lot to swallow for a guy who’s played in four Pro Bowls, was All-Pro two years ago and has manned the most prominent position on one of the biggest stages in professional sports for an extended period of time. And it’s easy to see why, over the last few months, he’s asked the question: Do I want to do this anymore?

He’s talked privately about becoming the next Troy Aikman, which is where he’s headed now. He’s also discussed, down the line, the idea of becoming the next John Elway. And as John Lynch has shown us, in going from FOX analyst to 49ers general manager, Romo now very much has the opportunity to do both.

However that plays out, the next step wasn’t far from his mind. The last few years, Cowboys staffers have noticed that he wasn’t reporting to camp in the kind of shape many older players have to, choosing to use the time during camp to get himself where he needed to be before the season started. He’s got a young family now. Priorities change. Circumstances change.

At least on the surface, it looked to those around Romo like he didn’t need football the way he once did. Then, the Cowboys didn’t need him anymore. Then, the rest of the league didn’t need him.

So, in the end, Romo decided—at least for now—that he didn’t need them either.