What Tony Romo Retiring Means for the Cowboys
It’s safe to say that few people expected to see Tony Romo retiring earlier in the offseason.
At the beginning of 2017, Vegas had the best odds for him going to the Denver Broncos, with the Houston Texans being a close second. By April 1, 2017, retirement seemed like more of an option given the broadcasting offers he received from FOX and CBS, but it still didn’t receive the best odds.
When Romo announced he was planning to join the CBS team, people were shocked. Not so much because of Tony Romo retiring, but because of one particular provision in the CBS deal: Romo has the option to leave the job and return to the football field.
So how does this odd “retirement” arrangement mean for the Dallas Cowboys?
Jerry Jones Wins, and Wins, and Wins Again
Jerry Jones benefits the most from Tony Romo retiring. Imagine the jam he was in just a few months ago. He had a highly-performing veteran with injury problems and a new rookie in Dak Prescott that was tearing up the field.
Jerry knew he needed to go with Dak but wanted to avoid several possible negative outcomes. Jones had to ensure Romo didn’t end up with a major rival like the Redskins, and he also couldn’t afford for his former star to go to the Texans and draw attention away from the Cowboys in the great state of Texas.
When Tony Romo retired to the broadcast booth, Jones won in a big way. Not only was Romo not on a rival team, but he was also not on ANY team, which meant he would not draw attention away from Dallas.
The provision that allows Romo to return to the NFL is another big win for Jerry Jones. If Prescott is hurt or in some way doesn’t work out, Romo can leave CBS and come back to the field for his old team.
Finally, if Romo does stay in the booth, Jones will have a significant pro-Cowboys voice in a broadcasting role for years. Given the criticism Jones has endured for his extravagant stadium, weak teams, and bad relationships with head coaches, a kind voice will be welcome.
Tony Romo Retiring Means the Cowboys Get More Cap Room
The Cowboys get some salary cap room back with Romo retired. They will receive an extra $14 million in cap space as of June 1, 2017.
This breathing room gives them several opportunities. Perhaps someone caught their eye at the NFL combine but didn’t come off the draft board. They’ll have more room to invite and try out a variety of players.
They also have more cash to work deals with the rookies they already drafted or resign a current player to a better deal.
Romo Leaves as a Record-Setting Cowboy Player
Despite the fact that the Cowboys with Romo had limited postseason success, it’s clear that Tony Romo is retiring as one of the best quarterbacks in Dallas history. This is especially impressive considering he was not drafted in his rookie 2003 year.
Romo boasts a variety of impressive career records:
- Passer rating of 97.1, highest among retired players
- Most consecutive road games with at least one touchdown pass: 41
- Highest QB rating in the 4th quarter
- Cowboy’s lowest career interception percentage: 2.6%
- Cowboys most touchdown passes, 245
- Dallas Cowboys career leader in passing touchdowns and yards
Many of his records surpassed Troy Aikman, a Hall of Fame quarterback and a former #1 overall draft pick.
Tony Romo retiring is the end of an era. Certainly, Romo has nothing to be ashamed of, and the Cowboys benefited significantly from his decision. It will be interesting to see what the future hold for Romo and the Cowboys!
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