Winners and losers in Romo’s wake
The National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys released veteran quarterback Tony Romo on Tuesday so that he could pursue broadcasting opportunities. CBS Sports then quickly announced the network had signed the retired Romo to a contract that paired him with Jim Nantz and made him the network’s lead analyst.
Here are the winners and losers from the ripple effect of Romo stepping away from football.
Winners The Cowboys: When Romo tweeted a photo of himself wearing a jacket with the CBS logo, it was clear that this was a move that was in the works for weeks. So although it may have appeared that the Cowboys were stringing Romo along, they ended up doing right by one of owner Jerry Jones’ favourite players. Dallas also breaks away from its starting QB of the previous decade pretty cleanly, allowing Dak Prescott to have the full focus and support of the entire organization in 2017. Romo: He got his release from Dallas, so he keeps his signing bonus. And if that “competitive spirit” that he referenced on a conference call Tuesday afternoon ever becomes too big to ignore, he’ll be able to test the market and come back to the NFL pretty easily, with the Cowboys no longer holding his rights. After all, “99 per cent certain” does leave the door slightly open. Romo becomes just the fifth lead football analyst in CBS history, so his new role is one with plenty of prestige. Tom Savage: Brock Osweiler was traded to Cleveland and Romo is in a suit with a headset, so Savage is firmly entrenched as the favourite to win the starting quarterback job in Houston. Savage played in relief of Osweiler late in the year, but a concussion prompted Osweiler to play in the Texans’ playoff run. Now, it will be Savage’s job, unless the Texans swing big for a rookie quarterback in the draft or make another move. CBS: Phil Simms was a polarizing figure on the network’s broadcasts, and though Romo is a complete experiment in the booth, CBS wins big. First, the network is adding a dynamic personality and a former star player. Romo is a big draw, and the network should see early returns from his presence. At the very least, there will be significant curiosity to see how Romo performs in the network’s first broadcasts. And CBS also gets to have Romo on the call for the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game, which should draw significant interest. The New England Patriots: Any team looking for a quarterback and banking on Romo becoming available now will have to look elsewhere — and New England might be the first place to turn. A trade is still unlikely, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick was never going to ship backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo to the Texans or Denver Broncos, which are both contenders in the AFC. But with Romo off the market, the potential price for Garoppolo just keeps going up. Jay Cutler: The best-available passer on the market, Cutler now becomes a more appealing option with the Romo option now gone. Could Houston be interested? Cutler’s market could depend on his asking price, but his reps should field more calls with Romo’s status now resolved. Colin Kaepernick might have been considered here, but because his skill set does not fit that of a traditional dropback passer, any team that was interested in Romo would be more likely to kick the tires on Cutler.
Losers The Texans: Houston is the biggest loser on this list by far. Long-rumoured to be his preferred landing spot, Romo admitted on a conference call with reporters that the Texans were on the top of his list. Simms: Though CBS Sports chair Sean McManus indicated that the network is looking for a new role for Simms, this is clearly a demotion. Simms had served as lead analyst for almost two decades, so he had a long run. But whatever his new function is, it’s going to be an adjustment. Fans: The NFL is better when it has talented quarterbacks playing. Losing Romo is another blow for fans, especially with the storylines that would’ve emerged had he played for the state-rival Texans. But there are some silver linings. CBS has the Cowboys Thanksgiving game this year, and there should be other chances for Romo to meet up with Dak Prescott, Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett, and the rest of the Cowboys. Romo: Yes, he was listed as a winner earlier in this story, but in Romo’s concession speech to Prescott in November — the one in which he recognized the reins to the team now belonged to the rookie — he acknowledged how much he wanted to compete and play. Romo will turn 37 later this month, and his window to play in the league is narrowing. Even in his conference call after his new position was announced, Romo didn’t completely close the door on returning and never used the word “retire.” Those feelings could grow even more complicated if he gets a stronger urge to play again.