Tony Romo has been the Dallas Cowboys best quarterback since Troy Aikman left after the 2000 season, and the third best at his position in the team’s history behind Aikman and Roger Staubach. But if you asked someone a year ago to describe Tony Romo, they might have called him a choke artist, mentioned how he is overpaid, or even commended him on his golf game. But after his 2014 season, the best way to describe Romo would be resilient. Dude was tough last year, playing a full season — wherein he completed a career-high 69.9 percent of his passes and played to a 113.2 QB Rating — after having back surgery, two transverse process fractures, and broken ribs.
“It’ll be nice when it’s just about the back (surgery) instead of all the other junk,” said Romo to ESPN. Excuse me? Did he call broken ribs and whatever transverse process fractures are, “all the other junk”? The only time broken ribs should be talked about with such irreverence is when Chili’s is promoting some of their delicious baby backs. Anyways, Romo has had some lows during his tenure as starting quarterback of America’s Team; here are but a few.
Nov. 27, 2014 vs Philadelphia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z7GHn_EVYo
Tony is usually pretty solid on Turkey Day games with a 6-2 career record, but this past Thanksgiving game didn’t work out too well for the Cowboys. They lost 33-10, and Romo threw two interceptions without throwing a touchdown.
Oct. 6, 2013 vs Denver
Romo was a beast for about 99 percent of this October 2013 game against the Broncos, throwing for over 500 yards and five touchdowns, but what about that last 1 percent? Well, the last Cowboys drive started with Romo getting sacked and ended on second down with Romo throwing a pick. That lead to a Broncos game-winning field goal as time expired: 51-48 final.
Jan. 11, 2015 vs Green Bay
Any season-ending loss is tough enough, but this was the “Calvin Johnson Rule,” Dez Bryant catch, game. After this game last season, the entire world wanted the definition of a catch to be changed because of this play. Whether you agree with the call, the rule, or the result, this game goes down as one of the toughest losses for Romo and the Cowboys.
Dec. 15, 2013 vs Green Bay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_906k0Lqbbg
I couldn’t find a good video of the action, so the next best option is this clip of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless analyzing the game. Romo throwing two interceptions with under five minutes left in the game makes it tough to blame anyone else for the loss in this one.
Dec. 30, 2012 vs Washington
The 2012 season was the year that the media hailed RGIII as the greatest dual-threat quarterback ever. Along with fantasy sleeper of the decade Alfred Morris and his two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the Redskins beat the Cowboys and eliminated them from playoff contention. Oh, and Tony chucked up three picks. Ouch.
Internet Punching Bag
This one really isn’t Romo’s fault, but for some reason, the sight of Romo laying prone on the turf is an image that has launched a million memes and inspired numerous other viral reminders of his occasional on-field inadequacy.
Jessica Simpson
Tony Romo has had a high profile love life during his tenure as the quarterback of America’s team, but we’re not going to hate on him for that — who he chooses to spend time with is his own business. But for some reason, Romo’s relationship with singer/reality star Jessica Simpson fascinated people. Whether it was Simpson’s presence at Cowboy games in her pink Romo jersey, dancing together on stage at the ESPYs, or going off to Mexico for a getaway before a playoff game, Simpson’s presence in Romo’s life seemed to annoy his fans and motivate his haters.
“That’s my quarterback…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOweupNOBVU
Not much can be said after watching this clip of Terrell Owens bawling his eyes out following another Tony Romo low moment.
Jan. 6, 2007 vs Seattle
I believe it was the wise philosopher Crow, who said that “the first cut is the deepest.” You have to give Romo credit for being smart enough to go for the end zone after fumbling the snap, but you have to catch that ball, Anthony Romo, and you have to hold it there for the win.
Brutal.
