Tony Romo is accepting responsibility for the July traffic stop that has kept him away from CBS, while his representatives say they are now communicating with the network about what happens next.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback received three additional Wisconsin citations on Aug. 27 stemming from his July 23 arrest: first-offense operating while intoxicated, possessing open intoxicants in a motor vehicle and unsafe passing on the right. Hours later, a spokesperson told TMZ that Romo “accepts full responsibility for his actions.”
His representatives said Romo has taken proactive steps to resolve what they called an “isolated civil matter,” adding, “We are working with local authorities to bring this matter to a close and we are communicating with CBS about next steps.” The statement did not announce a plea or resolution of the newly issued citations.
Romo remains on indefinite leave from CBS Sports. J.J. Watt has moved into the network’s lead NFL booth alongside Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, while CBS Sports president David Berson has said there is no timetable for a decision about Romo’s return.
Romo Received Three New Citations From the July Stop
Romo was pulled over on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee on July 23 after a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office deputy said he saw the broadcaster passing vehicles through a marked gore area, which separates interstate traffic from vehicles entering from an on-ramp.
According to ESPN, Romo performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests and was taken into custody on suspicion of operating while intoxicated. He was booked and released later that evening.
Romo initially received a citation for refusing an intoxication test following his arrest. Court records now show three additional citations issued Aug. 27: first-offense OWI, unsafe passing on the right and possessing open intoxicants in a motor vehicle.
Authorities previously said an open bottle of alcohol was discovered on the passenger side of Romo’s vehicle during an inventory before it was towed. Body-camera footage also shows Romo telling a deputy that he had been at a golf tournament and was heading to visit his grandparents before the stop.
Romo’s Camp Says It Is Communicating With CBS About ‘Next Steps’
The second part of Romo’s new statement addresses the broadcasting job he has held since retiring from the NFL in 2017. His representatives said they are “communicating with CBS about next steps,” but neither side has announced that Romo has been cleared to return.
CBS Sports placed him on leave “until further notice” on July 31, one week after the arrest. At the network’s NFL media event on Aug. 11, president David Berson called Romo’s status an “evolving situation” and said CBS was still assessing it.
“We had to consider the impact on our image and on our brand,” Berson said, according to CBS News. He said the network wanted attention focused on its NFL coverage rather than an off-field legal matter involving one of its broadcasters.
Watt has been promoted to CBS’s No. 1 NFL team with Nantz and Wolfson during Romo’s absence. Romo remains under the 10-year, $180 million contract he signed with CBS in 2020, which runs through the 2030 season.
His Sept. 21 Court Date Comes After the NFL Season Begins
Romo is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 21. His first-offense OWI citation is being handled under Wisconsin’s first-offense process, where an initial OWI is generally treated as a civil.
The court date falls after the beginning of the NFL regular season, meaning CBS is preparing to start its game coverage with Watt occupying the analyst position Romo previously held alongside Nantz.