Romo

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo says he is taking full responsibility for his ‘recent personal failure’ after entering a no-contest plea to a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Romo was arrested July 23 in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI). He also received citations for having an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a moving vehicle and unsafe passing, but they were dismissed Tuesday morning by a Milwaukee County judge.

The same judge found Romo guilty of the OWI charge and took away his driving privileges for six months. Romo also must pay $834, and an ignition interlock device must be installed on any vehicle owned or operated by Romo or registered in his name for a minimum of one year.

In a statement posted to Instagram soon after, Romo indicated he is taking the situation seriously.

“This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely,” Romo wrote.

“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.”

Romo spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Cowboys and has been the lead NFL game analyst for CBS Sports since 2017. On July 31, the network placed Romo on indefinite leave and tapped J.J. Watt to fill in alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.

He said Tuesday that he is “working closely with a team of doctors to address my health and make the necessary changes” in his life.

“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant,” Romo wrote. “It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully — to the Lord, to myself, to my family, and now to the public.”

Romo added: “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.”

There is no timetable for NFL analyst Tony Romo’s return to CBS Sports, the division’s president David Berson said Tuesday.

Romo was placed on leave by CBS after he was arrested in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated on July 23. JJ Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will work alongside Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson as CBS’ lead broadcast team during Romo’s absence.

No decision has been made on Romo’s long-term future at the network, Berson told journalists at the network’s annual press briefing on the NFL season at parent company Paramount’s New York headquarters.

Berson called Romo’s legal matters “an evolving situation.” He added that naming Watt, who joined CBS as an NFL analyst in 2023, as an interim replacement was necessary as the first kickoff is a month away.

“Since it continues to evolve, and we’re on the eve of the season,” Berson said “I felt it’s very important that our team, the many, many hundreds of people work on the NFL and CBS, have certainty and direction, so we can definitively plan and focus on the production and marketing as we kick off the season.”

Romo has a court hearing scheduled for Sept. 21, He was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and received citations for having an open container in a moving vehicle and unsafe passing.

Romo joined CBS as an NFL analyst in 2017. He had a 14-year career as a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys. He led the team to six playoff appearances and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl team four times.

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo was arrested Thursday night in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Romo, 46, was stopped while driving south on I-43 and performed poorly on field sobriety tests, according to an arrest report by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken into custody, booked and released, with a court appearance set for Sept. 21.

The incident remains under investigation.

Thhis is Romo’s first OWI arrest, according to the report. In Wisconsin, a first-time offense is considered a civil violation with potential fines and revocation of his driver’s license.

The booking photo for Tony Romo, who was arrested July 23 in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

(Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office)

Romo went to Burlington High School, which is about 35 miles from Milwaukee, and played four seasons at Eastern Illinois before joining the Cowboys as an undrafted rookie in 2004. He spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the team, making four Pro Bowls and passing for a team record 248 touchdowns. His 34,183 passing yards were also a franchise record until Dak Prescott passed him last season.

Since 2017, Romo has been the lead game analyst for CBS, with Jim Nantz doing play-by-play. They have called three Super Bowls together. The network had no comment regarding Romo’s arrest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.