Tony Romo broke his silence Tuesday after pleading no contest to the July OWI arrest that landed him on indefinite leave from CBS, but losing his lead NFL analyst chair will not be the only fallout.
After pleading no contest to operating while intoxicated, which is considered a civil offense in Wisconsin for a first-time offender, Romo’s driving privileges have been revoked for six months. Additionally, Romo will pay $834 in fines and must have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle owned or operated by the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback. The device will be required for at least one year after Romo’s driving privileges are reinstated.
Romo was also ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program. In a statement posted on social media Tuesday morning, Romo shared personal struggles while taking full responsibility for his actions, admitting to abusing alcohol after working to get off pain medication following multiple back surgeries during his NFL career.
“None of this is an excuse,” Romo wrote in the statement. “These are my failures, and I take full responsibility for them.”
Romo was arrested during a traffic stop on July 23 in Wisconsin. In addition to OWI, Romo was also cited for unsafe passing on the right side and possessing open intoxicants in his vehicle.
According to court documents, the unsafe passing and open intoxicant charges against Romo were dismissed this week. Previously, Romo was given a Sept. 21 court date, but that now seems unnecessary after he pleaded no contest to OWI and the other charges were dropped.
Romo’s future with CBS, however, remains unclear. In his statement this week, Romo referenced his “return to CBS.” But in response to his legal update and statement, CBS offered no comment. Romo has approximately $72 million and four years remaining on the 10-year, $180 million contract he signed with CBS Sports back in 2020. After placing Romo on indefinite leave in response to his arrest, CBS quickly elevated J.J. Watt to their lead booth alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com