Tony Romo spent 14 seasons as the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback, built a second career as one of the most recognized voices in NFL broadcasting, and is now at the center of a breaking news story that has football fans searching his name nonstop. This page covers everything — from his Wisconsin childhood and college breakout to his franchise records, his family life, his CBS salary, and exactly what happened in July 2026 that put his broadcasting future in question.
Background: Who Is Tony Romo and Why People Are Searching for Him
Tony Romo isn’t just a well-known football name — he became something of a blueprint for what a successful post-playing career in sports broadcasting looks like. He wasn’t even drafted. No NFL team selected him in 2003. The Dallas Cowboys signed him as a free agent, and he spent three seasons holding a clipboard before eventually taking the starting spot in 2006.
From there, he turned into one of the most productive quarterbacks in Cowboys franchise history. When injuries and age finally ended his playing career in 2016, CBS Sports hired him to call games alongside Jim Nantz. He became genuinely famous in the broadcast booth — partly for his ability to predict plays seconds before they happened, and partly for being unafraid to say what he actually thought on air. That combination made him one of the most searched sports personalities in America even after leaving the field.
Latest Update
⚠️ Breaking — As of August 1, 2026: Tony Romo has been placed on leave by CBS Sports following an OWI arrest in Wisconsin on July 23, 2026. This section covers the confirmed details only.
As of August 1, 2026, here is what is currently confirmed. Tony Romo was arrested on the evening of July 23, 2026, after Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled him over on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. Officers reported he had been observed passing cars in a gore area — the restricted zone that separates main interstate traffic from cars entering via an on-ramp. During the traffic stop, Romo performed poorly on standard field sobriety tests and was taken into custody on a first-offense charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He was booked and released the same night.
Body camera footage released in the days that followed showed Romo telling deputies he had come from a golf course and was heading to visit his grandparents. He had been in Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Amateur Championship golf tournament in West Bend, where he finished tied for 73rd place. A separate citation was issued after Romo reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer or other chemical intoxication test — a refusal that, under Wisconsin law, triggers a separate challenge to his driver’s license. He was given a 10-day window to request a hearing to contest that. His court date is set for September 21, 2026.
July 23, 2026 — Romo arrested on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin for OWI
July 27, 2026 — Additional citation issued for refusing intoxication test
July 31, 2026 — CBS Sports announces Romo is “on leave until further notice”
August 1, 2026 — J.J. Watt confirmed as replacement; Romo has not issued a public statement
September 13, 2026 — First CBS Sunday NFL broadcasts of the 2026 season
September 21, 2026 — Romo’s scheduled court date
On July 31, CBS Sports released a single-sentence statement: Romo was “on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice.” J.J. Watt was named to join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson in his absence. CBS has not provided a timeline for the leave, and the phrase “until further notice” keeps the door open either way. Romo has not issued any public statement of his own.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Antonio Ramiro Romo — that’s his full name — was born on April 21, 1980, in San Diego, California, while his father was stationed at a U.S. naval base there. The family later relocated to Burlington, Wisconsin, which is where Romo grew up and considers his hometown. His grandfather, Ramiro Romo Sr., had emigrated from Muzquiz, in the Mexican state of Coahuila, to San Antonio, Texas — giving the family deep Mexican roots on his father’s side. His mother, Joan Romo (née Jakubowski), worked in the grocery industry.
He has two sisters, Jossalyn and Danielle. Growing up, he was a multi-sport kid — he played football, basketball, and golf, and was selected for a Little League All-Star baseball team as a child. He set an all-time scoring record at Burlington High School with 1,080 career points in basketball.
Career Path
Romo started at quarterback for Burlington High School beginning his junior year and received a football scholarship to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, where he played from 1999 to 2002. He won the Walter Payton Award in 2002, given to the top offensive player in NCAA Division I-AA football — the first Eastern Illinois player ever to receive it.
Still, no NFL team drafted him in 2003. The Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent. He sat mostly as a backup for three years before replacing Drew Bledsoe mid-season in 2006 and never looked back. By the time he retired in 2016, his Cowboys career looked like this:
| Stat | Career Total |
|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 34,183 |
| Touchdowns | 248 |
| Career Passer Rating | 97.1 |
| Pro Bowl Selections | 4 (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014) |
| Seasons with Dallas | 14 |
| Super Bowl Rings | 0 |
He holds the Cowboys’ franchise record for most career touchdown passes and most single-season passing yards. Injuries — particularly back surgeries — cut short several seasons and are the main reason his career ended without a Super Bowl appearance. He formally retired in April 2017 after Dallas signed Dak Prescott.
CBS Sports hired him almost immediately, pairing him with Jim Nantz to call the top NFL games each week. His reported annual salary at CBS grew to approximately $17 million per year — more than most of his playing seasons earned him.
Age
Tony Romo was born on April 21, 1980. He is 46 years old as of August 2026.
Religion
Romo has not made any public statements confirming his religious beliefs. This detail is unconfirmed publicly and has not been addressed in any verified interviews or official biographies.
Spouse and Children
Romo married Candice Crawford on May 28, 2011. Crawford is a former Miss Missouri USA (2008) and worked as a television sports reporter before their marriage. The couple has three sons together: Hawkins Romo, Rivers Romo, and Jones Romo. The family lives in Texas.
Net Worth
💰 Net Worth Estimate: Multiple sources place Tony Romo’s net worth at approximately $70 million to $80 million as of 2026. No official figure has been confirmed by Romo or a verified financial disclosure.
His wealth comes from a combination of NFL playing contracts (total career earnings from playing have been reported in excess of $127 million), his CBS Sports broadcasting salary (reported at roughly $17 million per year), endorsement deals with brands including Corona, Pizza Hut, and Under Armour, and various investments. The exact current figure is unverified from a primary source.
Parents
His father, Ramiro Romo Jr., served in the U.S. Navy before transitioning to construction work. His mother, Joan Romo, worked in the grocery industry. Both parents were based in Burlington, Wisconsin, where Romo spent most of his childhood.
Height
Tony Romo stands at approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters). During his NFL playing career, he listed his playing weight at approximately 230 pounds (104 kg).
Education
Romo attended Burlington High School in Burlington, Wisconsin. He then enrolled at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, on a football scholarship, playing from 1999 to 2002. He was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity at EIU and graduated having set multiple school and conference passing records.
Hometown / State of Origin
Born in San Diego, California, but raised in Burlington, Wisconsin. He is most associated with Texas, where he played his entire NFL career and where his family continues to live.
Official Social Media
Tony Romo is active on X (formerly Twitter): @tonyromo — twitter.com/tonyromo
Reader Questions
What is Tony Romo’s full name?
His full name is Antonio Ramiro Romo. He was born on April 21, 1980, in San Diego, California, and grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin. He goes by Tony Romo professionally and publicly.
Why was Tony Romo arrested in 2026?
Romo was arrested on July 23, 2026, by Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputies on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. He was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) after performing poorly on field sobriety tests. A separate citation was issued because he reportedly refused a chemical intoxication test. His court date is September 21, 2026.
Is Tony Romo still working for CBS Sports?
As of August 1, 2026, he is not. CBS Sports placed him on leave “until further notice” on July 31, 2026. J.J. Watt has been named as his replacement alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson. No timeline has been given for his potential return.
How many Pro Bowl selections did Tony Romo earn during his NFL career?
Romo earned four Pro Bowl selections — in 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2014. All four came during his time as the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, where he played his entire 14-season career.
Who is Tony Romo’s wife?
Romo married Candice Crawford on May 28, 2011. She is a former Miss Missouri USA (2008) and a television sports reporter. Together they have three sons: Hawkins, Rivers, and Jones Romo. The family is based in Texas.
What is Tony Romo’s net worth in 2026?
Multiple sources estimate his net worth at approximately $70 million to $80 million as of 2026. This reflects his NFL career earnings, his CBS Sports broadcasting salary (reportedly around $17 million annually), and various endorsement and investment income. No official figure has been confirmed publicly.
Did Tony Romo ever win a Super Bowl?
No, Romo never won a Super Bowl during his playing career. Injuries — including multiple back surgeries — disrupted several of the Cowboys’ most competitive seasons. He retired in 2017 without a championship ring, which remains the most debated chapter of his football legacy.
Where did Tony Romo go to college?
He attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, on a football scholarship from 1999 to 2002. He won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in Division I-AA football in 2002 — the first Eastern Illinois player to do so — and set multiple school passing records before going undrafted in 2003.
Wrap-Up
Tony Romo’s career arc is genuinely unusual in professional sports. He went from an undrafted free agent nobody wanted in 2003 to a Cowboys franchise cornerstone, and then he built an entirely separate career in broadcasting that paid him more per year than football ever did. That kind of double-act doesn’t happen often, and it wasn’t luck — he was genuinely good at reading the game in real time, which translated directly into what made him compelling on television.
The events of July 2026 have dropped a significant question mark over that broadcast career. CBS hasn’t said how long the leave will last or what the network plans if his legal process stretches past the September 13 season opener. What is known is that he has a court date, J.J. Watt is in his chair, and Romo has stayed silent publicly since the arrest.
Whatever the outcome, the record of what he built — both on the field and behind the microphone — is already written. Fourteen seasons, four Pro Bowls, franchise passing records, and nine years as one of the most recognizable voices in sports broadcasting. That story doesn’t get erased by what happens next. But what happens next is very much still in progress.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.