Tony Romo withdraws from Texas State Open after OWI arrest

The first fallout after Tony Romo was arrested on suspicion of intoxicated driving has occurred, with the CBS broadcaster withdrawing from his next golf tournament.

Romo was expected to participate in the M&P Group Texas State Open beginning this Tuesday. But according to KETK, Romo has officially stepped down from competing in the tournament following his recent arrest.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested and booked on a first-offense operating while intoxicated charge last week after performing poorly on field sobriety tests during a traffic stop in Wisconsin Thursday. A native of Burlington, Wisconsin, Romo was in his hometown for the Wisconsin Amateur Championship golf tournament. The arrest reportedly came after Romo also performed poorly during the final round of the tournament, where the CBS broadcaster shot 12-over.

Romo currently has a court date set for Monday, Sept. 21. A first-offense OWI in Wisconsin is typically treated as a civil violation rather than a criminal charge. Whether he will join his longtime CBS broadcast partner Jim Nantz in the booth to call a Week 2 NFL game on the day before his court date remains to be seen. CBS has yet to comment on Romo’s arrest.

Some would argue sitting out a golf tournament might be more of a punishment for Romo than missing NFL games for CBS. Colin Cowherd previously alleged Romo might care too much about his golf game to continue being a premier broadcaster.

The recent legal issue continues a downward trend for Romo, who was widely praised for his broadcasting style when he transitioned from the field to the booth in 2017. Romo was quickly dubbed “Romostradamus” for his ability to predict plays, and soon received an industry-altering $180 million contract to remain with CBS as their lead analyst.

In recent years, however, Romo has more often been criticized for making strange noises and talking over plays rather than predicting them. Media insider Andrew Marchand previously reported CBS even held what was described as an “intervention” with then-chairman Sean McManus visiting Romo in 2023 to better his preparation habits. CBS disputed the report and has stood by Romo as their lead analyst.

Romo has similarly addressed and downplayed the mounting criticism in recent years. Both sides, however, have remained silent on the recent OWI arrest, something Romo and CBS should address before the upcoming NFL season.