Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has voiced his support for former franchise quarterback Tony Romo, expressing confidence that Romo will "work through" his recent operating a vehicle while under the influence (OWI) arrest in Wisconsin.
Jones, who was Romo’s owner for 13 seasons, indicated he has been in contact with the quarterback-turned-broadcaster. "I love him. I love what he’s about. I love his character. I love his love of sport. And he’s a very, very unique talent," Jones said in a recent interview with KDFW Fox 4. He added, "Do you think Tony Romo knows how to get up when he gets knocked down? He had a life of that. And absolutely, that’s one of his greatest attributes, is that he can handle adversity."
Jones believes, "this is something that he will work though. He is a unique talent… So, obviously, I’m a big fan of his, big fan of his family, and let me tell you right now, he’s as real as he sounds. He feels every down time, he feels every up time."
Romo was arrested on July 23 in Wisconsin on charges of OWI, possession of an open container of alcohol, and unsafe passing. Bodycam footage released from the arrest shows Romo telling police he had "zero" drinks and questioning the basis for the stop, saying, "Because I’m coming from a golf course, you think I’m drunk?"
The arresting officer stated she observed signs of intoxication, including red, glassy eyes and the smell of alcohol on Romo's breath. After performing field sobriety tests, Romo declined to take a breathalyzer test, citing advice from lawyers not to do so.
Following the arrest, CBS Sports announced that Romo was placed on leave from his role as the network's top NFL analyst. Former NFL player J.J. Watt is set to take his place in the broadcast booth alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. Romo joined CBS Sports as an analyst in April 2017, shortly after retiring from his NFL career with the Cowboys, where he amassed 34,183 passing yards, 248 touchdowns, and 117 interceptions.