Injuries are a part of the game in the National Football League, and as teams are always making adjustments, one position that doesn’t deal with it as much as others is quarterback. Tony Romo has been the Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback since 2006 and no player in the history of the franchise has passed for more yards (34,154), or thrown more touchdowns (247) than him. Romo has been a polarizing figure for the Cowboys franchise as he has helped them win three NFC East Titles, but he’s been unable to take them to the promised land which is the Super Bowl. And at the age of 36 with mounting injuries for Romo, the opportunity to win that championship appears to be slipping through his grasp.
Last week in a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Romo suffered what was first referred to as a minor back injury when he was tackled by Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril. But the news went from bad to worse on Saturday when the Cowboys announced that Romo has suffered a compression fracture in his back. This injury will keep Romo out of action for the next 6-10 weeks which has paved the way for rookie quarterback Dak Prescott to be under center for the Cowboys in Week 1 when they host the New York Giants. And whether it is Prescott or someone else, the Cowboys need to find a new long-term solution at quarterback.
The injury bug has bitten Romo quite hard over the last few years which aside from his current back injury has seen him suffer a broken clavicle, and broken collarbone, along with having back surgery to repair a herniated disk. It’s gotten to the point that if Romo can feel the pressure coming from defenders, he will simply fall to the ground to avoid taking the big hit. And as Romo has become extremely fragile, it would be very hard for the Cowboys to trust him being able to get through a full season.
The heart is still in place for Romo as nobody will ever be able to accuse him of not giving it his all on the gridiron. But just like other Cowboys quarterbacks such as Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman were forced to retire due to injuries, Romo needs to take a long look at his health.
Romo will more than likely be cleared to resume playing football again this year, but what about his health for the rest of his life? Romo sustained this severe injury last week from a hit that didn’t appear to be that bad, but what will he do if a ferocious pass rusher in the mode of Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller or Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh were to get a free rush at him?
Each time that Romo goes down with a severe injury, he gets up slower, and there is more silence hovering over AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Romo has shown us his toughness as he continues to get up for the eight count, but it’s time that he uses his mind which will take him away from the game that he loves, while keeping him healthy enough to talk about it and enjoy the rest of his life.
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