(Quarter) Back to the Future
Romo Happy With Cowboys Draft; Eyes Leadership Role
Nick Eatman - Email
IRVING, Texas - Tony Romo understands why the Cowboys thought about taking Brady Quinn last week. He said if it were up to him, it would've been a tough decision, too.
Romo knows the Cowboys had to at least entertain the thought of drafting the Notre Dame quarterback as he continued to fall in last month's NFL Draft. But don't think for a second he was disappointed to learn the Cowboys opted to temporarily trade out of the first round in a move with Cleveland that garnered the Browns' first-round pick next year.
And Romo said he was even more excited to hear Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones answer questions on passing Quinn by referring to Romo as the Cowboys' quarterback of the future.
"Without a doubt, it was great news," Romo said. "I thought the organization would stand behind me. And that's what they did. It's something they had to think about. As an organization, you're not doing your job if you don't evaluate every scenario. But I think (by passing on Quinn) it shows they have confidence in me."
Jones and the Cowboys will likely show their confidence in a financial way by possibly giving the quarterback a new contract before the start of this coming season. Romo is entering the final year of the two-year contract extension he signed last August that will pay him $1.5 million this season, thanks to an extra $500,000 he earned based on playing-time incentives last year.
While Jones said the Cowboys already have had preliminary discussions with Romo and his agent about a new deal, the owner said it doesn't have to happen before the start of the season the way Roy Williams and Jason Witten were re-signed last summer.
Romo, who will count $2.5 million against the Cowboys' salary cap in 2007, said a new contract is something he covets, but nothing he spends too much time thinking about.
"I've never really thought about having it done at this time or that time," Romo said. "It really doesn't matter to me. It's all about just playing a game. If you don't worry about the money, and concentrate on what it takes to get better, usually the money will just take care of itself. I try not to worry about things that are out of my control."
And last weekend's NFL Draft was certainly one of those things.
Romo said he didn't spend his entire weekend on the couch watching the draft, but he tried to stay on top of things throughout the two-day event. Especially in the first round when the Cowboys traded their No. 22 overall selection to the Browns, who quickly took Quinn, a player once projected as a top-three overall pick.
"I watched a little bit of it," Romo said of the draft. "I was doing other things, but I peeked in every once in a while, and saw that we made our trade."
While Romo said he was never too worried about the Cowboys drafting another quarterback, he said he understood why Dallas was mentioned as a possible destination for Quinn.
"I haven't signed a long-term deal, so obviously, the Cowboys were one of the teams who still needed a quarterback, or that's the perception out there," he said. "It's just part of the job. I understand how it works. I mean, a team would be dumb not to draft a player if they think he's a better player or a better fit. That's part of the business. But I'm glad how it worked out.
"As a competitor, sure you'd be upset if they drafted another quarterback. It's their job to get the best player they can. But it's nice to know that they have faith in me and they think I'm going to be the guy to lead this team."
And the Cowboys appear to be thinking that way despite Romo's unfortunate ending to last season. Although he replaced Drew Bledsoe in the seventh game and eventually led the Cowboys to their first playoff berth in three years while being selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad, Romo's 2006 season will be remembered most for his fumbled snap in the final minute of a playoff loss in Seattle.
As the holder for a go-ahead field-goal attempt for kicker Martin Gramatica, Romo dropped the snap and then couldn't scramble for enough yards for a first down, squandering the Cowboys' chances of taking the lead in what turned out to be a 20-19 loss to the Seahawks in the NFC wild-card round.
Romo hasn't forgotten the play, but he swears he doesn't let it bother him on a daily basis.
"I don't really think about it. That's behind me. I mean, it makes you work harder and work with a chip on your shoulder," said Romo, who also admitted that chip has always been there.
"Yeah, to some extent, just because of where I came from and how I got started in the league," he said. "But for the most part, I really don't think about that play.
"Because it doesn't matter now. I'm still going to be out here working the same way. If we had won that game, or two more games or even won the Super Bowl, I wouldn't have changed the way I approached this season. Sure, it hurt at the time, but either way, I'm still going to be right here working hard to get better."
Most Romo's work these days consists of studying. He said trying to learn Jason Garrett's new offense has been time-consuming, but he's hopeful things will start to fall into place for himself and his offensive teammates after the completion of the Cowboys' first mini-camp, which takes place at Valley Ranch May 12-14.
"We're putting in a lot of time, but we're gaining more confidence with it," said Romo, who has been participating in the team's passing sessions with quarterbacks and receivers twice a week for the last month. "Right now, it's more of a learning time. But once we get past this first mini-camp, I'm sure I'll feel a lot better about things."
That's a statement Romo probably could've made about the draft as well.
Nick Eatman - Email
IRVING, Texas - Tony Romo understands why the Cowboys thought about taking Brady Quinn last week. He said if it were up to him, it would've been a tough decision, too.
Romo knows the Cowboys had to at least entertain the thought of drafting the Notre Dame quarterback as he continued to fall in last month's NFL Draft. But don't think for a second he was disappointed to learn the Cowboys opted to temporarily trade out of the first round in a move with Cleveland that garnered the Browns' first-round pick next year.
And Romo said he was even more excited to hear Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones answer questions on passing Quinn by referring to Romo as the Cowboys' quarterback of the future.
"Without a doubt, it was great news," Romo said. "I thought the organization would stand behind me. And that's what they did. It's something they had to think about. As an organization, you're not doing your job if you don't evaluate every scenario. But I think (by passing on Quinn) it shows they have confidence in me."
Jones and the Cowboys will likely show their confidence in a financial way by possibly giving the quarterback a new contract before the start of this coming season. Romo is entering the final year of the two-year contract extension he signed last August that will pay him $1.5 million this season, thanks to an extra $500,000 he earned based on playing-time incentives last year.
While Jones said the Cowboys already have had preliminary discussions with Romo and his agent about a new deal, the owner said it doesn't have to happen before the start of the season the way Roy Williams and Jason Witten were re-signed last summer.
Romo, who will count $2.5 million against the Cowboys' salary cap in 2007, said a new contract is something he covets, but nothing he spends too much time thinking about.
"I've never really thought about having it done at this time or that time," Romo said. "It really doesn't matter to me. It's all about just playing a game. If you don't worry about the money, and concentrate on what it takes to get better, usually the money will just take care of itself. I try not to worry about things that are out of my control."
And last weekend's NFL Draft was certainly one of those things.
Romo said he didn't spend his entire weekend on the couch watching the draft, but he tried to stay on top of things throughout the two-day event. Especially in the first round when the Cowboys traded their No. 22 overall selection to the Browns, who quickly took Quinn, a player once projected as a top-three overall pick.
"I watched a little bit of it," Romo said of the draft. "I was doing other things, but I peeked in every once in a while, and saw that we made our trade."
While Romo said he was never too worried about the Cowboys drafting another quarterback, he said he understood why Dallas was mentioned as a possible destination for Quinn.
"I haven't signed a long-term deal, so obviously, the Cowboys were one of the teams who still needed a quarterback, or that's the perception out there," he said. "It's just part of the job. I understand how it works. I mean, a team would be dumb not to draft a player if they think he's a better player or a better fit. That's part of the business. But I'm glad how it worked out.
"As a competitor, sure you'd be upset if they drafted another quarterback. It's their job to get the best player they can. But it's nice to know that they have faith in me and they think I'm going to be the guy to lead this team."
And the Cowboys appear to be thinking that way despite Romo's unfortunate ending to last season. Although he replaced Drew Bledsoe in the seventh game and eventually led the Cowboys to their first playoff berth in three years while being selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad, Romo's 2006 season will be remembered most for his fumbled snap in the final minute of a playoff loss in Seattle.
As the holder for a go-ahead field-goal attempt for kicker Martin Gramatica, Romo dropped the snap and then couldn't scramble for enough yards for a first down, squandering the Cowboys' chances of taking the lead in what turned out to be a 20-19 loss to the Seahawks in the NFC wild-card round.
Romo hasn't forgotten the play, but he swears he doesn't let it bother him on a daily basis.
"I don't really think about it. That's behind me. I mean, it makes you work harder and work with a chip on your shoulder," said Romo, who also admitted that chip has always been there.
"Yeah, to some extent, just because of where I came from and how I got started in the league," he said. "But for the most part, I really don't think about that play.
"Because it doesn't matter now. I'm still going to be out here working the same way. If we had won that game, or two more games or even won the Super Bowl, I wouldn't have changed the way I approached this season. Sure, it hurt at the time, but either way, I'm still going to be right here working hard to get better."
Most Romo's work these days consists of studying. He said trying to learn Jason Garrett's new offense has been time-consuming, but he's hopeful things will start to fall into place for himself and his offensive teammates after the completion of the Cowboys' first mini-camp, which takes place at Valley Ranch May 12-14.
"We're putting in a lot of time, but we're gaining more confidence with it," said Romo, who has been participating in the team's passing sessions with quarterbacks and receivers twice a week for the last month. "Right now, it's more of a learning time. But once we get past this first mini-camp, I'm sure I'll feel a lot better about things."
That's a statement Romo probably could've made about the draft as well.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:31 PM
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