Tony Romo announced his retirement today, and as Cowboys fans everywhere dry their faithful tears on the fabric of their No. 9 jerseys, our team at TexasHSFootball analyzed the decision. Was it premature or not? Was there any gas left in the tank to lead Cleveland or Houston to a Super Bowl? Will we ever see Romo on a field again? The following is our verdict on his choice:
Romo leaves the ‘Boys as leader in passing yards and touchdowns, but retires without a championship or much postseason impact. Renowned more for his boneheaded mistakes – including his fling with Jessica Simpson – Romo saw the tailend of his career derailed by injuries. Many assumed he would go the route of Payton Manning following a disc fusion neck surgery: migrate to the team with the accomplished offensive line and defense for a last shot at a title – in this case, This program was more than like the Texans, who moved Brock Osweiller to the Browns, effectively clearing enough cap space for Romo. However, the veteran will receive a big contract payout from Jerry Jones and co. Only an athlete knows how their body will sustain the punishment of a regular season schedule. In an era where Will Smith is scaring everyone with CTE, a move from the brutal gridiron to the safety of a press box could be a wise move for a parent with little gas remaining in the tank. You still want to be able to stand and play with your kids. – Kyle Spishock
Personally, I think Romo stepping away was the right decision. I can’t imagine that it was easy for him to come to that point though. It would have been really weird seeing him in a Broncos or Texans jersey. He’s been a great (and woefully underappreciated) quarterback in Dallas, but I think he’ll do very well in this next stage. I’m surprised CBS is looking to put him in that top broadcast spot with Jim Nantz. From most accounts, Romo is a good fit in the booth, but that’s a big jump to go to the top spot straight out of retirement. That said, I think he’ll do very well and I think this is the best decision for him and his health. – Tony Venegas
As much as I love Tony Romo as a person, this was absolutely the right move for the franchise. I don’t agree with how they went about it, which was essentially leaving him in limbo for the better part of a month, but they needed to commit to Dak Prescott in order to move forward. Tony Romo had a solid career with the Cowboys, and he’ll always be remembered as one of those guys that always seemed to come back strong after an injury or a bad loss, but ultimately, he’s just getting old. Prescott having the season that he did meant that it was time for the Cowboys to move on. I may not completely agree with how they did it, but the overarching goal of the process was correct. As for his legacy, is he a Hall of Famer? Probably not, the “doesn’t win much” critique is a good one. However, was he an upper class quarterback? Absolutely. – Hunter Cooke
It was by far the best move for him. Romo hit his shelf life physically, and he showed he never belonged on any shelf when it comes to championships. Could he throw the ball and direct the offense? Sure. Was he the guy to take any team to a championship? Hardly. Fantasy owners might miss him, but Cowboys fans already have their quarterback for the future. Welcome to the media world, Tony! – Scott McDonald
Tony Romo will forever be known as the “what-if” quarterback. So many times during his tenure with the Cowboys he had chances at cementing himself with Troy Aikman, and Roger Staubach. However, he would then have a moment where his chance would go up in smoke, leaving fans to wonder “what-if”. Now, with Romo leaving the game he will never have the chance to answer those questions. He won’t have the ability to make up for dropping the extra point snap in Seattle, or Dez Bryant’s dropped pass in Green Bay. He doesn’t get to have his Super Bowl moment where all of those bad memories can be washed away. Instead, he rides off into the television booth where he can watch other quarterbacks have their moments. All the while wondering “what if I could have one more chance.” – TJ McAloon
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