Tony Romo Situation Could’ve Been Handled Better By Cowboys

I’ve held my tongue since Tony Romo’s press conference this past Tuesday. That’s when he announced to the world he would step aside, for now, and do what’s best for the team by not becoming …

Home » Cowboys News » Tony Romo Situation Could’ve Been Handled Better By Cowboys

I’ve held my tongue since Tony Romo’s press conference this past Tuesday. That’s when he announced to the world he would step aside, for now, and do what’s best for the team by not becoming a distraction.

Romo was noticeably shaken up and emotional throughout the process, and you couldn’t help but feel at least a little bit heartbroken for him. He’s been the face of the Dallas Cowboys franchise for more than a decade and has given everything he could to make the organization as competitive as possible.

I don’t know about you, but I felt as if Romo was kind of being tossed aside, that this entire situation was handled poorly by Jerry Jones and the coaching staff.

They didn’t really leave Tony any other choice.

They weren’t going to allow him to compete with Dak Prescott to win the starting gig back. That could have created inner-turmoil and proved to be a giant distraction. Distraction is the last thing this, or any, team needs with the way they’re playing.

Cowboys Headlines - Tony Romo Situation Could've Been Handled Better By CowboysSo, they really put Tony Romo in a no-win situation. He did the only thing he could, he swallowed his pride and stepped aside for the betterment of the Dallas Cowboys organization and his teammates.

This heartbreaking situation could’ve been avoided if Jerry Jones and the coaching staff had handled things differently to begin with.

It’s almost as if they were dangling a carrot in front of Romo while he was rehabbing. Each week that carrot started to get closer and closer until it was finally within reach, only to be yanked away once he was ready and able to grab it.

Honestly, I blame the euphoria everyone has felt this season for why this entire situation wasn’t addressed earlier. I guess Randy Gregory isn’t the only one who likes the euphoria that comes from riding on a high.

I think we all pretty much knew Dak Prescott would remain the starting quarterback coming out of the bye week. Yeah, you could say everyone was waiting to see if Romo would get back to 100%, and then see what he looked like in practice, but the odds were already against him.

Honestly, I would have named Prescott the starter coming out of the bye. That way it would have shut down the media from continuously bringing up the subject and also given Romo as much time as he needed to get back to 100%, which would allow Prescott to focus on the task at hand.

Instead, the coaching staff/Jerry Jones allowed the media circus to continue creating somewhat of a distraction because that’s all anyone wanted to talk about. It forced Tony Romo to step up and put the team on his back once again.

Now don’t get me wrong. Dak Prescott is the future of this organization. He’s been playing better than anyone ever envisioned during Romo’s absence, but Tony Romo is still the better QB at this point.

It’s easy to dismiss Tony Romo’s success as the Cowboys QB1 now that Prescott is playing like the future signal-caller for the Cowboys. But don’t forget, Romo is a just one year removed from leading the NFL in completion percentage (69.9) and passer rating (113.2), while leading the team to the 2014 NFC East title.

Cowboys Headlines - Tony Romo Situation Could've Been Handled Better By Cowboys 1Prescott may have this offense playing really good right now, but I truly believe Tony Romo would take them to an even higher level, especially in the passing game.

Tony Romo can make plays Dak Prescott simply can’t at this point in his career.

There have been several instances where Prescott has missed seeing a wide-open receiver down the field, instead choosing to check it down underneath. Fortunately, this is something Prescott will learn as he gains more experience, but that’s where Romo has the advantage and why I think he makes this offense better right now.

I don’t blame the Cowboys for wanting to ride the hot-hand right now, I just believe this entire situation could’ve been handled better. Tony Romo deserved better from the organization.

Who knows, maybe we haven’t seen the last of him this season…

Do you Agree or Disagree?

Let me hear your thoughts about the Tony Romo situation in the comments below.

123 thoughts on “Tony Romo Situation Could’ve Been Handled Better By Cowboys”

    • Carlos, I really appreciate your feedback. I held back a lot of what I was feeling. I really wanted to lay into Jerry Jones and the coaching staff for allowing this to happen. I think Tony Romo deserved a lot more respect from the organization he has given so much to.

      • Are you kidding? Romo placed hisself in this situation, no one has a crystal ball that could have predicted Dak’s success. The owners and coaches were left w/no choice in a situation they didn’t create. Get over it. Go Cowboys

        • Gary, how did Romo put himself in this situation. Yes, he got hurt, but all along everyone was saying that this was his team, including Prescott. Then all of a sudden he was told that he will not only not be reinserted as a starting QB, but won’t even be given the chance to win back the job. It was so poorly handled situation plain and simple. The Cowboys would’ve been wise to give Prescott the job after the bye week.

      • I’m sorry, but I could not DISAGREE more.As someone else said, no one had a crystal ball. They didn’t know how well Dak would play, or how the team would respond to him as the QB. I think the Cowboys handled this as best they could. You simply can’t create a QB controversy as you seem to want to do. Is Romo the better QB between the two? Of course, he’s the veteran and he is Romo,

        But Dak is getting better, week after week. Should they have given him the job after the bye week? Maybe the should have. But they weren’t doing it out of spite, they were doing it because of uncertainty.

        • Chris, first off thanks for taking the time to comment. Secondly, I agree with everything you said, but I think it should have been the coaches/Jerry Jones to be the ones who addressed the situation. Personally, I would’ve liked to see them do it after their bye week, but it seems as if they left it up to Tony Romo to step up and make the decision for them. I may be wrong, but that’s just my feelings on the situation.

    • I totally agree. I have been a Cowboys fan since the days of Rodgers Stauback,and the poise,and competetive talent and skill Tony has shown throughout his career, has earned him the respect and right, to lead this Team. It takes more than one player to win or loose, and it’s because his team mates have not done their job, is why he’s so prone to injury.

      • Adam, Romo has the right to lead this team, but so does Prescott. That’s what makes this entire situation so tricky. I would continue to ride with the hot hand, but not hesitate to play Romo if I believe he gives the team the best chance to win any game.

    • Get real. Tony has been a very good quarterback, but never was able to reach the big game or even have success in the playoffs. His body is letting him know it’s time to get out while he can still walk and use his arms. He needs to face the truth and retire as one of the Cowboy’s best quarterbacks. I don’t want to see him hurt again, possibly very badly.

      • John, everything you say may be true. Having said that, everything that we hear about Romo suggest that he is healthier than he has been in the past several seasons and is throwing the ball with better velocity. If he and the Cowboys medical staff believe that he is healthy enough to play, then I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t. Right now though he is the backup, so it doesn’t really matter. I would hate to see him get hurt again, but we all have to make our own decisions in life.

  1. I agree 100%. People seem to forget how good Romo is. Or that Dak vs. Romo isn’t what changes this team’s record, and that Zeke running it is still the gameplan. What this whole offense revolves around. Ans at one point, someone will lock Zeke and that O Line up, and we’ll need a 400 yard passer. And at this point in his career, as much as I love the guy, Dak just ain’t it.

    • Michael, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I agree with everything you said. This might be the week we see the Cowboys running game struggle. The Baltimore Ravens are really good against the run, so we might need to see Prescott carry the team on his back through the passing game.

  2. This is exactly what I’ve been saying…people keep saying I’m hating on Dak…I’m not I’m glad he winning…but winning also Hides the ugly….HE’S OUR FUTURE 4 SURE….but Tony is better….TONY is the Now…this ARTICLE IS PERFECT….

    • Thanks Jermaine, I don’t think I have ever received a better complement. I understand what you’re saying. If you say you think Romo is the better QB, then people think that you are against Prescott. Why can’t we root for both players?

  3. 100% agree. Romo is the best option for a superbowl this year. I hate that I can’t continue to look at Dak as favorably now that I see they won’t go with Romo with him in the way. Especially when I wanted to draft him while the Cowboys were doing everything they could to mess it up before settling with their second fourth round pick. I was super excited with his play and now have resentment creeping in due to my belief that Romo has the better shot at the championship. Hopefully Dak continues to progress and it becomes a mout point by the time the playoffs roll around.

    • Chris, I can understand your feelings self resentment based on the way the whole Romo situation was handled. I’m still rooting for Prescott and hope that he continues to progress, but like you, I think Romo is the better option during the postseason. Maybe that’s the coaching staff’s plan all along, but how do you then justify switching QB’s if Prescott is the one that leads you to the playoffs to begin with?

  4. Tony Romo has been the back bone of this team during good and bad times. He has the experience to his advantage and he knows how to get the job done . I’m not hating on Dak but I’m not happy that Romo was not given the opportunity that he has earned being our QB. He is a champion and I keep praying that he gets the opportunity to lead this team

    • Margie, I don’t think I could’ve said it better myself. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Romo a little later in the season when the games become even more important.

      • I agree with you Brian I think they will put romo in when playoffs run and if romo succeed the first two quarters the cowboys will stick too him all the way if not they will put dak back in do you agree or disagree there

        • Jesse, as long as Prescott continues to protect the ball and win games, I don’t see them making the switch to Romo even if it they are playing in the playoffs. I think it will take Prescott struggling/hitting a rookie wall or getting injured for Romo to take over as the starter.

  5. I agree that Romo is the better QB. I am just not sure how you could handle this whole situation delicately. You don’t want to screw up the team psyche or momentum. If the team has an inkling of thought that Dak is bringing some magic and the first time Romo misses a few throws and has a pick, the house could crumble a bit. I definitely would like to see Romo as QB, but not certain you can take the chance unless Dak really screws up or is injured. Neither of those things do I want to happen. Maybe I feel Dak starts looking more for that open man downfield, his timing goes some. I certainly don’t want him to end up the next Nick Foles, RG3 or anything, so only want him to change naturally and hope coaches don’t put a seed of hesitancy or doubt in him. Then again, I could be just full of cr@p! Go Cowboys!

    • M Cokenour, I would have personally made it clear that they will remain with the hot hand at QB until a change needed to be made. Instead, they allowed the media to make this a bigger story than it really needed to be and instead of the coaching staff/Jerry Jones making a decision, Tony Romo stepped up. By the way, I don’t think you’re full of crap.

  6. I don’t understand why this is a Dak vs. Tony issue. Dak has played better than any of us imagined he could, but Tony is the better QB at this point. That being said, I recognize that we can’t mess with the team chemistry. I firmly believe that there will be a point this season that Tony will have to come out of the bullpen to save the day. Seeing how many points Dak has left on the field makes me cringe, but he will learn as he gets more experience and pick those points up. There is no doubt Dak is the future, but we’ve been without a title for far too long now. The bottom line is, I would like to see whoever can win us a Super Bowl play QB.

    • Jamie, that’s the way I feel about it as well. I just wish they would have announced earlier that they would ride the hot hand until there needed to be a change. They continue to let the media make this into a bigger issue than it needed to be. Unfortunately, it put Romo in a no-win situation. I am blown away the way that Romo stepped up and did what Jerry Jones and the coaching staff should have… Make a decision.

  7. 10000 percent back what you’re saying Jones chips and he’s like a son to him well how would you treat your real family but they have it is I don’t think Romo is out tomorrow the face Ravens they’re down to the third left offensive tackle Dez Bryant out so do the players on defense are out Claiborne standard Ravens offense in that powerful but their defense or killers and you know they know there’s a third-string left tackle playing they’re going to take advantage of it and the left tackle is the quarterback’s best friend keeps the backside clean Ravens got the best defense in the league Dak my beating herself up all day

    • Well, the reports I just read say that Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant are questionable but expected to play. Dallas would list a player with a hangnail as questionable. We’ll find out at game time.

      I’ve been a Romo fan for a long time because not only is he a very good player, he’s also always been a class act. But, he does seem to try to force plays when the chips are down and make mistakes. He also holds on to the ball too long sometimes. Prescott does make mistakes, but is amazingly good about going to other receivers when his top target is covered. I believe he matured a lot by staying in college and not coming out early. He also avoided some pressure that I’m sure Romo would have either been sacked or tried to force a play and possibly thrown an interception.

      Romo is showing signs of aging which is sad to me, but it happens. He’s taken a beating for all these years and it’s taken its toll on him. Back injuries usually don’t get healed completely if a player continues to play before it heals completely.

      Here’s reality, the goal of a football team is to win. It’s what the fans want and it’s usually what the owners want. Romo is very well paid, so he’s getting rewarded for his loyalty. I understand he’s competitive, but if the best chance to win is for him being the backup, then he should be the backup.

      Just remember that Romo had Demarco Murray and a great offensive line a few years ago and they didn’t win 8 straight. Winning in Green Bay AND Pittsburgh in the same year is something I would never have bet on.

      Would I rather see a favorite player start and miss getting a Super Bowl win or have that player be a backup and have a better shot at a Super Bowl win? I’ll take the latter. Right now, the best option is starting Prescott. I think Romo has shown great character by working with Prescott.

      We’ll see what happens against the Ravens. I live between Baltimore and DC and they coverage here is how concerned the Ravens are about the Cowboys offense. They give up more rushing yards on the road. Cincinnati had the best rushing defense when they came in to play the Cowboys and we saw how that worked out for them. So far, when the Cowboys face a “top defense”, they wind up shredding them.

      No matter who starts, I’ll be watching and cheering them on! And we can thank God that Jerry didn’t get his way and draft Manziel instead of Martin!

      • Tracy, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. There is definitely a lot here to discuss.

        You said Romo tends to force the ball sometimes, and that may be true, but he hasn’t had the running game like they do this year. He had his best season in 2014 when he had a dominant running game, and I think he would be superb with the running game this year.

        I’m not saying he should be reinserted as a starting QB, but I do believe he makes this offense even better. Prescott has done really well, but he’s left a lot of big plays on the field that Romo wouldn’t have.

        Of course, we may never know what Romo could’ve done with this offense. So, it’s all really just speculation.

  8. I couldn’t disagree with you more to be honest. Let me just start off saying, that a) I’m a big Romo fan and believe that at the QB position, he’s better than Dak. b) That Romo can do things in the offense that Dak can’t. But with that being said, Dak can do things Tony can’t, like…Stay healthy, extend plays, and whether you realize it or not, Dak’s style a play gives Zeke the opportunity to be at his best!!

    Now do I feel bad for Tony Romo, yes I do. But if this dilima was in my hands I’d go about it the same Damn way!!

    • Cass, I feel about the same way as you do, it was the handling of the situation that bothered me the most. I do however disagree that Dak’s style of play gives Ezekiel Elliott the best opportunity to be at his best. With Romo in the game the passing game opens up more, which will spread the defense out more allowing Elliott bigger running lanes to run through. Right now, teams are still stacking the box because tthey know Prescott hasn’t shown that he can throw the ball down the field on a consistent basis.

  9. Couldn’t agree more where’s the loyalty in Dallas romo has carried this team on his back for a decade and when he finally gets a workhorse running back they dnt let him play Romo is a far better qb than dak they should let him play

    • Mike, I don’t disagree with the decision to stay with Prescott. This team is playing at a really high-level right now, so you don’t really want to mess with what’s working. I just really hated how they handled the situation between Prescott and Romo. Fortunately, Romo stepped up once again for the betterment of the team.

  10. I believe the cowboys handled the situation right. What if the cowboys after rehabbing put him in a game and again injures himself, you as reporters would come back and say it was too early. For Romo it’s not over Prescott is doing the job. Romo still has three more good years but if he gets injured again that’s it.

    • Adrian, you can never protect a player from injury. If Romo believes he is 100% ready to play, I have no problem with him getting back on the field.

    • Lane, Terrell Owens was one of the most selfish players I’ve ever seen. There is a reason he never played again after being cut by the Cowboys.

  11. Articles like this continue to feed a debate that has already been decided. Just like the presidential campaign the election has been held and the new leader has been chosen. I and a lot of other folks don’t really care who you think is the better QB. Its really not relevant. Likewise, we don’t care how you think the situation should have been handled. It really is a no win situation when you lose your job. Last year we all sat around and watched the inept Cowboys get beaten week after week. I for one knew that we needed to address the QB situation. Not the backup QB situation but the QB situation. This is life. Without realizing it the front office drafted the solution, if the 4th round no less. Not one but two QBs ahead of Prescott were hurt in training, He has played lights out. Regardless of how you feel about his supporting cast, Prescott has given the team what they really needed – high level, reliable play from the QB position. Nobody saw this coming. I mean nobody. No of us can fight fate no matter how unfair or insensitive situation appears. Life goes on. To continue these articles and comments are pointless and more they are a distraction. I just hope the Cowboys collectively as a team were more focused this week on the Ravens than individually on who is the better QB or whether the situation could have been handled better. Beat the Ravens!!

    • Mike, I think you might have misunderstood the meaning of my article. It was not to add fuel to the fire about the QB debate. It was simply to state that I felt like the Cowboys could handle the situation better. I think they should’ve addressed a lot sooner so that the media wouldn’t have made this a bigger story than what it really is. Yes, I think Romo is the better QB, but I wouldn’t change things up unless Prescott is injured or starts to really struggle. Romo stepped up so that this would not continue to be a distraction and they could focus on the task at hand.

      • No Brian, I did not misunderstand. Its the media’s job including yourself to publish your views (Preferably backed up by facts). I get that. I just don’t always agree with those views. You know or should know that there is no perfect or even best way to handle the Romo situation. If the decision was made earlier it would have been viewed by some as too early. If the decision was made later, then it would have been viewed by some as too late (as you have done here). Although my opinion is that Prescott should have been named the starter sooner, I understand the organization’s reluctance to make an earlier announcement and their deference to Romo to announce he was stepping aside. The real story is that the Cowboys have moved on from Romo as its starting QB. My point is if we consider the situation to have been a debate to influence public opinion and therefore somehow the ultimate decision then that time has passed. That ship has sailed. Now to second guess the handling of the situation by management is another debate. I’m just weary of the debates. Let’s just win baby!

        • Mike, I held off and really debated whether or not to write this article because like you said, there was no perfect way to really handle it. Ultimately, I wanted to express my opinion because I would’ve liked to see it handled a little better. I agree with you though, I’m always weary of these type of debates. You always run the risk of alienating some people because of your own personal opinion. Although, I do enjoy responding to my readers, regardless of differing opinions.

      • Brian, I respect your opinion but I may not always agree. Never fear alienation. When necessary I will always express my opinion even if I stand alone. I appreciate that opportunity.

  12. There is no doubt that Dak has earned the job; BUT there is also no doubt that Tony Romo has put in the time, effort, and mentoring to still be the face of the franchise. If nothing else, he has earned the right to ride out his career as a Cowboy,

    • Nancy, thanks for taking the time to comment. I agree with everything you said. I personally would hate to see Romo finish his career with another team, much like I did with DeMarcus Ware.

  13. The offense would be better if he would’ve started the season off…Romo stays hurt to much and he is also 36….Dak plays not ro turn the ball over …Romo don’t….That’s y we aee 8-1….Next man up!!!!

    • Thanks for commenting Rodney. I think where it 8-1 in large part due to the dominant running game. Prescott has done enough in the passing game to keep defenses honest, but can improve in that area of his game. It’s my opinion that is where Romo is far ahead of Prescott at this point in their careers.

    • I have absolutely zero doubt that he will be ready when/if he is needed. That’s just the type of person he is.

  14. I think the situation with Tony Romo could have been handled better. I realise Dak Prescott has the benefit of youth and a great passing game but as has been said some of the longer passes a more experienced QB like Romo will and should pick up on. Zak is very good but needs maturity to become really great. He may panic a little at times but that is understandable as a rookie.

    • Richard, thanks for sharing your opinion. I agree with everything you said. Prescott still has a long ways to go in his development and that is really encouraging considering how he is already playing.

  15. I agree 100%! Plus, Romo deserves his shot at a Superbowl! He’s earned it! I would love to see him silence the critics!

    • Bstrand, Romo does deserve a shot at a Super Bowl, but so does Prescott if he continues to win games this season. There isn’t a good way to handle the situation unfortunately.

  16. Let me see If I can make this simple, first of this is how Tony got the job, Bledsoe was injured and did not get the job back. Why, Tony infused the team they played better with and for him. Now flash forward Dak, just like Tony has infused the team, they play way better for him than they did for Tony.

    Is Tony the better QB, of course but then again so was Bledsoe when Tony took his job. What has really killed Tony was that he became predictable, he basically threw to Witten and Dez , Dak spreads the ball around, the team sees him as a leader, something that has dogged Tony his entire time in Dallas. He is a statistical marvel, but was not as inspiring.

    So while some may not think it is fair, it is business, and this team can make a run that Tony just has not been able to do. I am for the team, whomever helps us win is the guy I want.

    • Bigstyle, I don’t have a problem with Prescott remaining the starting QB. I do however think this offense reaches another level with Romo at QB. I didn’t like the way the whole situation played out. Everyone continuously said that this is Romo’s team, but when he is finally healthy enough to come back the job is suddenly Prescott’s. It would’ve been much better if Prescott would’ve announced the starter coming out of the bye week. And I disagree with you about Prescott spreading the ball around more than Romo. Brice Butler and Terrance Williams have been nonexistent with Prescott at QB. They have been wide open several times down the field, but Prescott has failed to even see them. I’m fine remaining status quo unless Prescott starts to struggle, then I wouldn’t hesitate to put Romo in.

  17. Brian, This offense is scoring more points than it did with Romo during his best season in 2014, the offense averaged 28.3 ppg compared to the 28.7 they are averaging now. Statistically they may have been better, but statistics are not on the scoreboard. I like Romo, but he had is chance and he has been out with a broken something the last two times he has been hit, the one in the Preseason game was not even a crushing hit.

    I see in him the same thing I saw in Aikman near the end, fear of getting hurt. And anyone that has played the game knows, if you try to avoid it, you will be hurt. But I don’t believe we would have this record with Romo, because I don’t believe he can inspire the guys on the other side of the ball (defense) to play above their talent. When a rookie comes in that no one expected to do anything this year shows that the game is not to big for him, the guys in the locker room take notice and believe more in themselves and what they can do that everyone else says the can’t. It is just that simple.

    • Bigstyle, I don’t like comparing stats from two different seasons. There are just so many different variables from season to season and entirely different rosters to try and make an accurate comparison. I do think with Romo at QB the offense scores more points per game, but that’s just my opinion. And I haven’t seen Romo playing scared. You don’t stand in the pocket and scramble around trying to buy extra time for your receivers to get open if you’re playing scared. Yes, he has gotten injured, but all of those hits where pretty big blows. Yes, I am including the one against the Seahawks and preseason. He was contorted awkwardly when Cliff Avril tackled him from behind. I understand why they are sticking with Prescott, and I think that’s the right move until he shows that he is struggling or hits a rookie wall. That’s when I would go back to Romo.

  18. Please don’t let this end up like Steve Burline & Troy Aikman hot hand experience. We saw what happened in the same kind of situation that we are dealing with now. I don’t like having my veteran qb sitting on the side bc u think we should stay with the hot hand. Ask Jimmy Johnson about that

    • Leon, I think they will stick with the “hot hand” as long as Prescott continues to play well. I think they will even let him try and bounce back after a bad performance. However, if he continues to regress or hit a rookie wall, that’s when I see them handing things back over to Romo.

  19. I keep reading Romo is the better QB. I don’t know if I agree with that. Romo is the more experienced QB. What really matters is wins and losses. There is no debate at this point Prescott is a winner. So why should anyone care who is the better QB? Another theme I keep reading is Romo deserves to lead this team and ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl champion. I agree but so does hundreds if not thousands of NFL players who never achieved that elusive glory. I’ve always admired Tony Romo and I respect him more now than ever because he could have demanded to be the starter. But ultimately he respected the decision of the decision makers, some of whom also are his close friends. But what I respect most is he did what is best for his team.

    • Mike, I’ve read the same things. I do think Romo is the better passer and he is exceptional at reading the defense pre-snap. These are things Prescott will continue to get better at, but that’s where I have Romo ranked higher. I would love to see Romo win the Super Bowl as the starter just to shut up his haters that said he could never win the big games. I wouldn’t say that he deserves it, but I still hope it happens. And I agree with you, I have gained a lot more respect for him the way he is handled this entire situation.

      • Okay Brian but I see Prescott with better movement than Romo at this point. Better able to escape and deal with pressure. He brings a running game. He’s less predictable. He protects the ball really well. He doesn’t force throws. He plays with a ton of energy and he has been clutch. All of which are keys to winning games. I do agree with you that it would be nice to silence the Romo-Haters but we may never get that chance.

        • Mike, Prescott is more of a threat to run with the ball, but he doesn’t have Romo’s presence in the pocket yet. That does make him less predictable. I’m not against Prescott at all. I’ll ride him as long as he continues to perform at a high level. There are both advantages and disadvantages to having either Prescott or Romo in the lineup for the offense. That’s why it’s really hard to say who or who shouldn’t be the starting QB.

      • Brian, glad you agree that Prescott brings the running threat. And rookie or not I really like Prescott’s poise. He may not completely understand the defensive schemes and coverages at this point but he keeps finding ways to win. He will find a way to beat you and he hasn’t beat himself.

        • It doesn’t always look pretty but he does find ways to get the W. I would actually like to see him run the ball more often. He’s an exciting player to watch and I hope he continues to get better.

  20. I understand everybody loves Tony,but the future is now,and a lot of qb’ s have lost their job due to injury. This is an unforgiving league,someone is always ready to take your job,Tony benefited from poor qb play behind him,or he would’ve been on the block. To me he’s a modern day Danny White,good but not good enough to get us over the hump. So I than Tony for his service but that’s the way the cookie crumbles #FANSINCETD33, Thanks for the time

    • Mario, I’m going to have to disagree with you. Romo is one of the main reasons this team has even been competitive over the last decade.He has never really had a very good supporting cast, he’s had to make players around him better. This year’s team has the best offensive weapons compared to a lot of the players Romo has had to play with in the past. Yes, someone is always trying to take your job, but there is no way Prescott would have beaten out Romo. I don’t even think Prescott would beat out Romo now if they were to have an open competition. I’m not trying to tear down Prescott, but I think Romo makes this offense even better.

  21. Romo done had 11 years to get to the superbowl now He’s to old with a bad back and now Prescott doing what Jerry like not smoking Caine but winning games and giving Dallas back their name going 6 ring one going on the other hand

    • James, Romo may be old, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still play at a high level in the NFL. This article wasn’t about who is the better QB, it was about handling the whole situation better. I’m excited about Prescott and what he’s doing, but at the same time I still think Romo could make this offense even better.

  22. I think Jones was holding out hope that Dak would fizzle and give an excuse to put Romo back in the game. Jones is a money guy, and there is some big money tied up in Romo. He had to want to recoup that investment if at all feasible. But the team just kept winning, and even when Dak didn’t look so hot (Philly) he still came through in the clutch.

    • Scott, I don’t really think that’s a case at all. Jerry Jones may be about money, but I think he would prefer winning because it only brings in more revenue. You can see his face light up when he talks about Prescott and the future, so I don’t think he’s holding out hope that Prescott will fizzle as you say.

  23. Hi Brian, Tim W. here, I’m a lifelong cowboy fan. I’m also a realist, Tony Romo is a great QB, and has the numbers to back it up. And you’re right the situation should have been handled differently by Jerry Jones. I feel as if Jerry just wants the spotlight and the media coverage just egged it on. I would continue to let Dak play and allow Tony the opportunity to continue to heal and strengthen up. I also believe that having a healthy Romo for the playoffs gives us a better chance of going deep in the playoffs. And as a side note Green Bay had the top ranked run defense when we played them and our offensive line mauled them. But I’ll concede that Baltimore’s D is a totally different beast. In closing I feel like the less talking Jerry does the better off the COWBOYS are.

    • Tim, I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. I think everything you said is true. Jerry Jones loves the attention, but it was also becoming a distraction because that’s all the media wanted to talk about. I actually don’t pay attention to what Jerry Jones says anymore. I think he just likes talking to hear himself talk. And yes, I think Baltimore’s defense is arguably the best run defense we have seen all season, but they also haven’t faced an offensive line like the Cowboys.

  24. We want to win a SB THIS YEAR and start a dynasty, right? There has never been a rookie QB taking a team to a SB and winning, right? It is still a 53-man effort, right? Romo is still among the handful of elite QBs in the NFL, right? Brady and others are older than Romo, right? This is a violent game that constantly create injuries (eg, Rogers, Wilson, Manning, RG3, etc.), right? What gave rise to the injuries, the GM did not put the right cast around Romo all these years, right? Same reason that Romo has not “taken” the team to more playoffs, right? What does playing the hot hand mean, eating the same stuff every day at the same time? Did JG say he wants perpetual competition at every position? Landry allowed Staubach and Morton to compete before making his decision, right? Did JJ say a monkey can win if the team is right? Team chemistry is about selflessness, mutual respect, team success, and no personal issue distractions (eg, Aaron Rogers), right? If we answer all these questions rationally and honestly, we should be getting Romo ready to go for the times ahead when it will be one and out — at least for this season. We do not want to have regrets at the end of the season.

    • Gary, I’m not saying they didn’t make the right decision. I just think they could have handled it better and not left it up to Tony Romo to step up and shoulder the load once again.

  25. I never been high on Romo because he’s had the opportunity to take this team to the Super Bowl and laid down on the Cowboys. Like Bill Parcells said, not put on a pedestal to soon.He folded in big games. He can’t finish. Stats don’t win games.

    • Haskell, I couldn’t disagree more. I think the reason the Cowboys were those big games to begin with was because of Tony Romo. He has never had a really good supporting cast on offense or defense. This years squad would arguably be the best offensive weapons that he would have had at his disposal during his entire career as a Cowboy. To say that Romo has folded big games is unfair. There are 53 players on the roster, and all of them have to do their job if a team wants to win.

  26. Thanks for writing this article, Brian. I do however disagree with many of your points. You stated that Jerry Jones and the staff have mishandled this situation. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Romo has always been given the benefit of the starter even at times, I believe, when he didnt deserve it. The Cowboys loyalty and love has played out through big Romo contract after contract as well as the Cowboys apathy with trying to secure a younger quarterback through the draft, free agency, or trade. This has driven me nuts over the years but I have always deferred to the guy who has millions on the line and a coaching staff who lives, breathes, and pray to Football Gods daily. Jerry has always given Romo a fighting chance. And always will. So to say that they didn’t let him fight for his job is very misleading. Romo is fighting daily. But he’s fighting that “guy within” that he spoke about along with a 36-year old body. And he’s not winning. No pun intended. If Jerry, Garrett, coaching staff, and more importantly, the locker room felt that Romo could lead them to the Super Bowl, then he would be taking first snaps on Sunday. If Romo himself felt that he was the better choice, he would be That Guy in the huddle on Sunday. I feel that it’s a general consensus with all who have a stake in winning another Super Bowl ring to just. move. forward. After 11 years of leadership under Romo, you have to look at the numbers which don’t lie. 2 playoff wins for America’s Team is dispicable. Cowboy fans deserve more.

    I think this article shows a resistance to change that would have had Drew Bledsoe at New England for 3 more years, denying Tom Brady his role in building the Patriots Dynasty. It probably would have pushed a young, eager, talented Brady to another team (maybe Dallas *wink*) where he would have won at least one ring with a decent system. It’s the same attitude that would have kept, again, our good buddy Bledsoe in the huddles a season toooo long with Dallas, thus denying Romo the opportunity to build his own little legacy. Let’s not be the “Drew Bledsoe is the better Quarterback” guy who shutdown any wild thoughts of Brady, Romo, and now Prescott going on a meteoric rise to greatness.

    I read somewhere that a Dallas sports anchor said that we are not losing an Aikman or a Staubach, we are losing a Danny White. Although Romo has a 97.1 career passing rating, his “batting average” in the playoffs is .333. That will get you in the Baseball Hall of Fame but not many votes for the NFL.

    But let’s face it. This is the NFL. It’s all about winning. You mentioned Demarcus Ware. Remember he had to leave Dallas to get his much-deserved Super Bowl ring as others have done. I’m not a hater because as much as I love the Dallas logo and brand, I have a genuine love for our players. So it was good to see him reach the NFL pinnacle although it was with another team. So if Romo does win a ring, let’s hope he can do it with Dallas even if it is from the Dallas sidelines. I think that’s the maturity we need from him. It’s the maturity that we need from Dallas fans who have been accustomed to these 11-5 seasons but no playoff wins.

    Danny White and Drew Bledsoe were solid, decent quarterbacks who just didn’t have the IT Factor to get it done. Decent guys. Romo is a decent guy as well. But let’s usher in a new generation of Dallas Cowboys players and fans. And the NFL is not a place where being decent can help win Super Bowls.

    • Brookeshire, I agree with a lot of what you said. The only thing I disagree with is that this team might not believe that Romo can get the job done. I think that they are sticking with what’s working right now. That’s why Prescott is remaining as a starter. I also disagree that Tony Romo is a reason why the Cowboys have only made it to the playoffs twice. It’s a team game and there are 52 other players on the roster besides Romo that have to be held accountable. Why does it always fall on the QB’s shoulders when it is a team game? He can’t win or lose games by himself.

  27. Correction : Bill Parcells said not to put him on a pedestal to soon. I got nothing bad to say about him. He just can’t finish. They’ve had a good team before now with Tony. But we all have our opinions. Wish you all well. Peace!

    • Haskell, Parcells was referring to not anointing a young player to soon. I think we’re way past that at this point ha ha. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

    • I agree with a lot of what he said, but not all of it. That’s why love getting comments from my readers.

  28. Brookshire couldn’t have said it any better, in my opinion. I’m out of the way now. Much love for the Cowboys.

  29. No one would’ve wanted to see Romo take the hits today that Dak took. The Ravens would’ve killed him. You might say Romo wouldn’t have taken the same hits, but, if he did he wouldn’t have got up. Wasn’t sure Dak was going to continue and we were close to seeing Tony. Tough game to recover from on a short week. Go Cowboys

    • Everyone acts as if Tony Romo is made of the glass. He Has taken hits like that his entire career and gotten up. Last year one of those hits he unfortunately landed on his collarbone which broke. This preseason against Seattle his back was contorted awkwardly. Those are freak injuries, like many of his injuries have been. He’s played through a lot of big injuries that people have forgotten about. I admire Prescott for fighting through this game. It was a tough outing against a good defense. He is the reason Romo is on the sideline right now, but to say that Romo would have got knocked out of the game by some of those hits is unfair.

    • I agree I don’t believe and I would want to see Romo take on that pressure either. That hit by Mosely on Prescott following the throw to Beasley for the TD was vicious. He drove Prescott into the ground on his shoulder (Sound familiar?). I question whether Romo can survive those shots. Prescott is better able to deal with the pressure with strength and mobility.

      • Mike, what you say is true. I don’t know if from a could have survived that hit and we won’t know until he is back out there. I’m not against Prescott at all. I love watching him play and I think he continues to get better. But, having said that, I still think Romo makes this offense better.

      • Of course you do. I hear you say it over and over. I just disagree so I will continue to point out the differences. At this point in time Prescott is the better QB. He is simply younger, stronger, more mobile and accurate – physically. He’s tough, persistent, smart and less prone to error mentally. In addition there is his ability to energize and inspire confidence to win. I give Prescott the edge over Romo like Romo had the edge on Bledsoe.

        • Mike, I don’t disagree. I love what Prescott is doing and he continues to get better each week. If he can continue to remain consistent, he will definitely change my mind. Romo’s experience is why I give him the slight edge, and it is just a slight edge.

  30. I’ve never been less excited to see my all time favorite team winning. Because they have done Romo dirty. And maybe just as bad, he would be killing it out there. He would be lighting up the passing game and Zeke would be running wild, I mean REALLY wild, without a stacked box. Very concerned that if we don’t go to Romo soon, we lose in the playoffs with a rookie QB. Granted, kid has been great for a rookie and hasnt done much wrong. But Romo would take us all the way. Can’t believe everyone is so scared of “chemistry” and “not messing up”. Look at Romo 2014. This would be that kind of season for him again given that this is his best team yet. Chemistry? He invented it with Dez,Witten, Beasley, ect. Romo being the more experienced, still more talented QB, there is no way anything is messed up, we would start beating people by 3 or 4 TD. How does anyone think putting the better QB in could cost you the game? Fans and the Jonses have lost their minds. Drunk on a winning streak. What we’ve done is impressive but take a look at the combined records of the teams we’ve beat so far. I pray Romo gets back in there before it’s too late.

    • Matt, I agree with just about everything you said. However, I think the Cowboys are sticking with Prescott for now because of how this team has responded and rallied around him. You take the risk of dividing the locker room if you switch to Romo without Prescott doing anything wrong. As much as I would love to see Romo back in the lineup, I’m going to wait and see how this whole thing plays out. This could be the week Prescott struggles. He’s never had this quick turnaround in his entire career.

      • Mike, I think the difference here is that this year’s team has arguably the best offensive weapons than any team Romo had at his disposal in the past.

      • I beg to differ :). The obvious difference is Elliott. Granted he a big difference! But in my opinion Romo should have won with Murray who set the franchise rushing record in 2014. It’s interesting how Team Romo wants to use the argument that if Romo had want Prescott had …. Romo had enough to win but he fell short. He had his chances!

        • Mike, he has had his chances. He was a bad call away from winning the NFC championship. That 2014 team led by Romo was likely Super Bowl bound if not for that controversial call. I’m not necessarily Team Romo. I’m all for letting Prescott continuing what he has been doing. If/when the switch needs be made, I’ll be fine with that too. There’s nothing wrong with having to really good QB’s.

      • Let me add that Romo may get another chance but right now Prescott is the leader of this team because he is the better QB and gives the Cowboys the best chance to win. This is evident by a continuing 9 game win streak. The longest in franchise history!

  31. It’s a whole new ballgame in December and January. What is also concerning is that we haven’t beat the mediocre teams by big margins. We’ve played great and the kid has been an unbelievable rookie and backup. But 2014 team was killing lesser teams by wide margins. Dominating. We all know Dez caught it and we would have gone on to Seattle and won like we did earlier that year we Romo led us to a great upset win overy the Sea hawks in Seattle which just want done at the time. Dak is doing great but he’s still missing some big plays the Romo would be making with ease. Get the better QB in and watch this offense roll like never before.

    • Matt, I think one of the reasons we don’t see the Cowboys blowing away some of these lesser opponents is the fact that they are relying on the running game to win the time of possession. But, I agree. Romo would improve this offense.

    • Big plays? We’re winning! Longest win streak in franchise history! Lead by a rookie! These are the 2016 version Cowboys. Can’t be beat with Prescott. He is the special sauce. 🙂

      • Mike, I’m really anxious to see what Prescott can do this week with a quick turnaround. The Redskins create a bunch of different matchup problems for the Cowboys on both offense and defense.

  32. Brian, that’s the NFL. Another challenge each week. The Redskins are playing well (one loss since week 2). They certainly present matchup problems for the Cowboys with their offense not so much on defense in my opinion. Beating the skins would move us a little closer to locking up the division. They (Redskins) will be fired up for the challenge and I hope we will be too!

    • Mike, the Redskins have some defensive players that could get the Cowboys offense some problems. Both of their defensive ends have been pretty good at getting after the quarterback this year and Chris Baker in the middle has been good in both the running and passing game. It’s going to be a really good matchup, but a game I think the Cowboys should win.

  33. I totally agree. Dak was the back up and only the starter due to injury. Tony’s performance wasn’t in question. Isn’t the back up (if needed) supposed to win games if inserted? That’s his job, to win until the starter is able to resume playing. The whole organization screwed the pooch here and I’m ashamed how they treated and continue to treat Tony. Dak is the future but this team was assembled for Tony and to not give him a chance to pilot it is criminal. I’ll always be a Cowboy fan but I find it hard to enjoy the wins because of the way this was handled. Dak should take note, one day he may be in Tony’s shoes.

    • Skidmark, it’s hard to disagree the with the decision to stick with Prescott the way he’s been playing and the way this team has rallied around him. I do hate the way that the entire situation played out though for Tony Romo. He deserves better after everything he’s given the team over the years. There is still a lot of football left, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him back on the field commanding the offense at some point this year.

  34. The underlying message from these posts is that fans are extremely passionate about their sport, their team and individual players. To the point of unreason at times but I don’t think most of us really think all that differently. Romo could have played the Cleveland game, which was game 8 I believe. I think we all can agree if the record after 8 games was 4-4 they’re be no question about playing Romo. Even 5-3 or 6-2, providing, all wins aren’t consecutive while showing substantial progress. It all boils down to what they call “situational football”, in that the situation simply calls for the action taken. Before Tony many of us were Cowboys fans and I like most have supported Tony in the worst of times when every ahoe w/a microphone didn’t. I hated seeing D. Ware leave and was happy for him that he got his Super Bowl ring. I understand the business of the decision while also hating free agency. We as fans have a hard time maintaining loyalty to the players because they don’t stay around like they did in the past. In many cases they’re here one day and gone the next. Tony faces much the same situation now as D. Ware and the only real difference is this happened quicker and was unexpected. In the end I will support Tony wherever he goes until he plays against the Cowboys. Go Cowboys

      • I also am having a terrible time seeing my favorite team doing so well after all these years without the one guy I feel has kept the team afloat almost single handedly for the past decade. It’s confounding how no one seems to realize that if romo had the time that Prescott is enjoying in the pocket he would be shredding opposing defenses. that means secondaries that have to honor the deep threat, which in turn ,just as you mentioned means bigger running lanes. If romo had such good supporting cast in the past , why have we devoted 3 number 1 drafts on our o line?. Secondly think how many number 1s we are fielding .3 o linemen, 1rb 1wr 2de(if we count Gregory) 1cb 1 safety. I can recall any time in my 46 years that dallas had so many 1 talents on the field at one time. I see so many passes that the receivers have to pull up and wait for which also means the defenders catch up. Romo Does not make those kinds of throws. The biggest problem I have is one I have not heard anyone mention. Every one wants to cut our losses to save salary cap space with romo The truth is jj and the cowboys are condemning the team four years down the road. If they had plugged romo back in when he was helthythey would have kept prescotts value down. As it stands, whatever savings anyone thinks the cowboys would gain by letting tony go, Dak’s next contract is going to more than make up for it. He is going to make 25 million plus, where if he had been benched we would ride out tony’s contract and jj could have offered the talented, yet only slightly proven rookie the same 16 million/year that romo was making .the machine would just keep on humming. we will be hamstrung for years to come if we do not set the young fellow down soon.

        • Hi Robert, your position is understandable. However, if I may, I feel you’re missing two key issues, #1, it’s never been about Tony’s strengths vs Dak’s. #2, it’s not about money either. It’s simply this and only this, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. No one, owner, coaches players and even many fans want to upset the delicate balance that comprises the chemistry of a team. Maybe it wouldn’t mess it up but what if it did, there’s too much risk. It was something I learned at an early age, I utilized in coaching, I’ve seen it work and I’ve seen what happens when it doesn’t. The bottom line is the “situation” and you hear it all the time, (situational football) or you can go so far as to say it’s a “superstitious” thing in sports. For example, it’s been known a ballplayer won’t change his socks if he’s on a hitting streak or maybe a winning streak. I suppose it comes down to the unknown, right now everyone “knows” what we have going on, but, and it’s a huge but, no one can know what’d happen if they changed. This is one of those things that has to run its course. I’ve been a Cowboys fan since Dandy Don was throwing to Bullet Bob, I’ve had a lot of hope crushed by Cowboys teams that simply weren’t any good, I’ve seen receivers careers wasted by qb’s that couldn’t deliver the ball in a manner that ever gave them a chance, we’ve seen Romo run for his life because for many years he had no o-line to speak of. I’ve seen what Romo can do with virtually the same team in 2014, he was excellent, no one denies that, imo he should’ve won league MVP that year. But in all those years I’ve never seen a qb execute an offense in the manner that Dak does, so I’m gonna enjoy it, I deserve it, Cowboys Nation deserves it and frankly I can’t envision things being any better, not sure I could take much more. Anyway, it kind of created itself and I’m enjoying the ride, I hope you do to. And don’t feel to sorry for Tony, have you seen his home? Go Cowboys #Dak4MVP #Zeke4ROY

          • boys4life, this was very well said. I do however feel little bit sorry for Romo. He has carried this team for over a decade and to have his career end like this is a little bit heartbreaking. But, that’s the nature of the NFL. Like you said, we just need to enjoy the ride…

        • Robert, I would love to see Tony Romo get a chance to do his thing with this year’s offense, but I just don’t see that happening with the way Dak Prescott is playing. The sad thing is that this is probably Romo’s last year in a Cowboys uniform and we may not even see him step foot on the field. You hate to see things end like this for him, but that’s just the nature of the NFL. I do however disagree with you about the contract status of Romo and Prescott. The majority of Romo’s remaining contract is dead money, so the Cowboys owe him that whether he is on the team or not. I think it’s a little under 20 million and by the time Prescott is due for a pay day, should be all paid out. The Cowboys can then give Prescott a contract extension, if he is worthy of one, without any repercussions from Romo’s previous contract with the team.

  35. I respect Tony Romo he is a good quarterback he is done in Dallas am not saying his career over but done in Dallas he will throw some touchdowns & he also will throw some picks I feel like he had a great fifteen seasons he toke alot of hits, hits that put him out for half of the season he always hurt I just believe in the new super hero that made over fans stand up because they ben quite for about twenty something years Dar Prescott is a strong young quarterback that’s already a breast right now

Comments are closed.