WASHINGTON — Even though it seems Tony Romo’s playing days are over, he’s still winning.
The now-former quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys has announced he’s leaving the game just shy of his 37th birthday to pursue a career in broadcasting. Tales of his kindness and affability are the stuff of legend, so it’s no surprise he’s taking advantage of that rep.
What may be a surprise to some, however, is that his shiny, new broadcasting career will apparently begin right at the very top, landing in the booth for CBS as the network’s top game analyst.
I guess it's time to start dressing up. #CBS pic.twitter.com/GseSRiyNOo
— Tony Romo (@tonyromo) April 4, 2017
Romo has made an entire career out of failing up. Undrafted out of Eastern Illinois in 2003, Romo landed the gig as the third-string QB in Big D and really only stayed on the roster in 2004 because Quincy Carter couldn’t get his act together. While he unquestionably earned the backup spot in 2005 and eventually the starting role in 2006, his entire career trajectory could have been much different had his career begun elsewhere.
Romo’s good fortune continued over the course of his decade as the starter in Dallas. Even though he had numerous late-game gaffes and generally came up small in big games, Romo seemingly got a nearly endless benefit of the doubt from analysts and football aficionados outside of Dallas. No matter how you spin it, with only two playoff wins and nary an All-Pro selection, Romo is the most prolific but least decorated passer in Cowboys history.
Between 2006-2015, no @NFL QB had more 4th-quarter comeback than Tony Romo (24).
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 4, 2017
Between 2006 an 2015 Tony Romo had two playoff wins. Mark Sanchez had four.
Fact. https://t.co/Mv6rLsuAOT
— Bill Zimmerman (@ZimmermanSXM) April 4, 2017
Now, just a few months after getting Wally Pipp’d by rookie Dak Prescott, he gets released by the Cowboys. So not only can he keep his signing bonus, but his playing options are wide open if this whole broadcasting thing doesn’t work out.
That’s a safety net he’s fortunate to have, and one he might need considering he’s nowhere near qualified to be the replacement for Phil Simms. While CBS’s decision to move on from Simms is warranted, it’s crazy to replace him with a broadcasting novice. Putting Romo in a role as a studio analyst makes all the sense in the world, especially when you consider Tony Gonzalez just walked away from his seat at the CBS table. But making a player a #1 color commentator for your network before he’s even cleaned out his locker is borderline reckless.
Tony Romo, w ZERO broadcast experience, reportedly replacing Phil Simms on CBS' #1 NFL game crew.
No offense. But that's total crap.
— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) April 4, 2017
While this move is ill-advised, it’s not unprecedented. Boomer Esiason went from the Cincinnati Bengals roster in 1997 to the Monday Night Football booth in 1998, and his indirect words of advice to Romo highlight just what he’s up against.
“Social media will be a killer,” Esiason told Sports Illustrated. “The slings and arrows, you won’t know where they’re coming from. But they’re coming. It’s Twitter muscle. Alcohol Twitter muscle. But it’s just like being a quarterback. We’re used to criticism. We know we’re going to take shots. It’s part of the job. He has to know that going in. … I hope he can criticize a play call. He has to do that.”
It’s one thing to gradually go from undrafted rookie to starting quarterback — that’s playing the same sport and same position you played in college, just at a higher level. It’s another thing to drop that profession and pick up another one at its highest level without paying dues and coming up the ranks. Had the Cowboys thrust Romo into the starting QB job in 2003, he likely would have failed spectacularly. CBS is currently doing the broadcast equivalent.
But as we’ve seen over the years, Romo keeps getting huge opportunities and largely making the most of them. My guess is he won’t be an epic disaster on TV, but just mediocre enough to eventually get moved to a lesser role either with CBS or another network.
At least until his next upward fail.
