Tony Romo has spoken out for the first time since his arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in July, revealing that nagging injuries from his football career led to a reliance on pain medication and eventually alcohol.
Romo, 46, pleaded no contest to the OWI charge in a Wisconsin courthouse on Tuesday, September 1, calling the incident a “personal failure” that he owns “completely.”.
“Football has shaped nearly every meaningful part of my life,” the former quarterback wrote in a letter, shared via Instagram. “I played for more than 20 years, including 14 in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. After my retirement, CBS gave me the profound honor of staying close to the game through broadcasting.”
He continued, “Playing taught me the power of relationships, the strength of a team, and the toughness to face failure head-on with honesty, resilience and the determination to do better.”
Romo, 46, admitted that now he is “leaning on everything football taught me.”
The OWI charge stems from his July 23 arrest, which came when he was pulled over in Milwaukee after participating in a local golf tournament.
He was issued several citations, according to court documents viewed by Us, including “refusing to take [a] test for intoxication after arrest,” having an “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” and for passing vehicles in a “gore area.”
“Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain,” Romo wrote. “That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”
With Romo’s plea, the case is now “resolved” and his future court dates have been removed from court records, the District Administrative Assistant for the Milwaukee Courthouse told TMJ4 News.
CBS Sports placed Romo on leave on July 31, elevating former Houston Texans star JJ Watt to his lead analyst role ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The network still has not announced a decision on Romo’s future.
A spokesperson for the former Cowboys star said last week that he “accepts full responsibility for his actions and has taken proactive steps to ensure that this isolated civil matter is properly resolved.”
“As I have taught my three young sons, when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility,” Romo wrote on Tuesday. “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.”
He added, “None of this is an excuse. These are my failures and I take responsibility for them.”
Romo went on to say he has now turned his attention to his health and family, then, “in time, my return to CBS.”
“I am working closely with a team of doctors to address my health and make the necessary changes,” he wrote. “I am deeply grateful for the support of my family, my friends and the NFL community including players, coaches and owners. Your encouragement has meant more to me than you know.”
