Tony Romo has issued his first public statement following his OWI arrest in Wisconsin in July.
The arrest shocked the football world as Romo was in the area for a golf tournament. The CBS NFL analyst was arrested after failing a field sobriety test and reportedly had an open container in his vehicle. Soon after the news made the rounds, bodycam footage was also released showing the entire episode.
Soon after the story broke, CBS made the stunning decision to suspend Romo indefinitely. But as the network prepares for the upcoming NFL season, and with Romo a major topic of conversation at the company’s media day event last month, we have now finally heard from the former Dallas Cowboys star himself.
In a post on Instagram, Romo shared that he plead no contest to a civil offense and took full responsibility for his actions. He also shared his personal struggles and admitted to abusing alcohol after trying to get off of pain medication following the injuries sustained during his NFL career. He further states that he is looking forward to eventually returning to CBS.
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Romo’s statement reads in full:
Football has shaped nearly every meaningful part of my life. I played for more than 20 years, including 14 in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. After my retirement, CBS gave me the profound honor of staying close to the game through broadcasting.
Playing taught me the power of relationships, the strength of a team, and the toughness to face failure head-on with honesty, resilience, and the determination to do better.
This is one of those moments when I am leaning on everything football taught me.
This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely.
Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain. That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.
As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility. That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward.
That path requires honesty.
None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.
The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant. It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully—to the Lord, to myself, to my family, and now to the public.
I am working closely with a team of doctors to address my health and make the necessary changes. I am deeply grateful for the support of my family, my friends, and the NFL community including players, coaches, and owners. Your encouragement has meant more to me than you know.
As I turn my attention to my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS, I kindly ask for privacy during this period.
God bless.
The future of Tony Romo as a broadcaster is in serious jeopardy. CBS named J.J. Watt as his replacement to work alongside Jim Nantz in the network’s top announcing booth while placing the former Cowboys quarterback on indefinite leave. With the questions surrounding Romo’s job performance in recent years, his massive contract, and the controversy surrounding his arrest, the reality exists that he may have called his last game for the network as its lead analyst.
However, if there is a road back for Tony Romo at CBS or elsewhere, it begins with accountability and recognizing where he is at in his life and the personal steps that he needs to take in order to move forward. And this heartfelt public statement is the first step in that direction.
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