Dallas set to release QB Romo

DALLAS — Tony Romo’s star-crossed career as the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys will soon be over.

A person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press that the Cowboys will release Romo when the NFL year opens today.

Romo will leave the Cowboys as the franchise leader in yards passing (34,183) and touchdowns (248). But he could never match the postseason success of Hall of Famers and multiple Super Bowl winners Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.

A 10-year starter who joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2003, Romo lost the job last season to rookie Dak Prescott after breaking a bone in his back in a preseason game.

When he was healthy again, Romo conceded the job to Prescott during a f r a n c h i s e - r e c o rd 1 1 - g a me wi n - ning streak. His departure has been expected ever since.

A trade was unlikely because Romo turns 37 next month, carries a $24 million salary cap hit and has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries. But he should be attractive as a free agent to contenders wanting a quarterback, a list that could include Denver and Houston.

A release will free about $5 million in cap space for the Cowboys, who can split the dead money from a $19 million hit over two seasons.

Romo was 78-49 as the starter, but his playoffff debut 10 years ago illustrated the postseason struggles ahead when he infamously flflubbed the snap on what could have been a winning fifield goal in Seattle. The four-time Pro Bowler went 2-4 in the playoffffs, never winning on the road or reaching the NFC championship game.

Owner Jerry Jones and Romo talked “Cowboy for life” when Romo signed the franchise’s fifirst $100 million contract in 2013 — a $108 million, six-year extension through 2019.

And there wasn’t any reason to think it wouldn’t happen as recently as two years ago after Dallas won the NFC East at 12- 4 in Romo’s last full season as the starter. The Cowboys beat Detroit in the wild-card round before losing to Green Bay in the divisional round after the infamous catch that wasn’t by receiver Dez Bryant.

In the second game of 2015, though, Romo broke his left collarbone when he was sacked, and the Cowboys went 0-7 without him. He returned for two games and broke the collarbone again as Dallas sunk to last in the division at 4-12.