Romo comfortable with star power
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
When Tony Romo arrived in Oxnard, Calif., for training camp last summer with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys, his status as a celebrity was barely a notch or two above that of struggling actors in nearby Los Angeles.
But after a season in which he supplanted Drew Bledsoe as the starter, often played like the second coming of boyhood idol Brett Favre and formed friendships with singers Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood, Romo has gone from the D-list to being one of the NFL's most marketable players.
And nobody — with the possible exception of Romo's agent — is happier about the transformation than Jerry Jones.
"I like his colorfulness off the field," the Cowboys owner recently told reporters in Irving when asked about Romo's stint as a celebrity judge at the Miss Universe pageant.
"It's good for the Cowboys and good for football," Jones said of Romo's high profile. "There is an element here that is entertainment, (but) you have to back it up with action."
That should be no problem for Romo this season, said two former NFL quarterbacks who are analysts for CBS.
Boomer Esiason and Rich Gannon, who spent a combined 32 seasons in the league, predict Romo's star will continue to rise. Fans in San Antonio can get a close look at Romo during training camp, which begins with a 2:30 p.m. workout Wednesday at the Alamodome.
All practices are free and open to the public.
"I don't see why he shouldn't be one of the best quarterbacks in the league," Esiason said of Romo, 27. "In fact, I'll go as far as to say I expect him to be in the Pro Bowl again this season."
"I think he'll be just fine this year," Gannon said. "He's a very athletic guy, he throws the ball well, moves well and he's got a toughness I really like."
Romo's mental fortitude came into question in January after his botched hold on a 19-yard field-goal try with 1:19 left allowed Seattle to escape with an improbable 21-20 playoff victory.
But after a brief period out of the public eye, Romo emerged in the spring sporting the same upbeat demeanor that has made him so popular with teammates, coaches and fans.
"I always knew I would be OK," he said.
That doesn't surprise Gannon.
"Nothing seems to bother him or shake him," Gannon said. "He has a lot of poise and maturity."
Determined to make up for his playoff gaffe, Romo worked tirelessly during the offseason. But he still found time for Underwood, who attended Romo's birthday party and took him to the Academy of Country Music Awards.
So has Romo's romance with Underwood undermined his love affair with football?
"I can assure you he is doing his work and doing it at the level that allowed him to come from free-agent status to being someone we are counting on," said Jones, whose faith in Romo led him to pass on a chance to select Notre Dame's Brady Quinn in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
"I like how he handles his (celebrity)," Jones added. "I know first-hand he has his mind and eye on the ball."
Said Romo: "I don't take myself too seriously, but I take my job very seriously. I think that's a good mix at the end of the day."
Esiason certainly thinks so.
"There is a great upside for this young man," Esiason said. "I love his personality and how he carries himself. He is very confident. I see him being the starting quarterback in Dallas for the next 10 years."
Of course, the Cowboys and Romo hope Esiason is right. But first the parties must hammer out a new deal for the fifth-year player from Eastern Illinois.
Romo passed for 2,903 yards and 19 touchdowns last season after his first start, in the seventh game. He's in the final year of a two-year deal worth $3.9 million and is expected to receive a better deal than the six-year, $48 million pact quarterback Matt Schaub recently got from Houston.
Although he's previously taken care of players in the final year of their deals, Jones could wait to see how Romo performs for a full season before giving him a new contract. Romo has just 11 starts in his pro career, which began when he joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.
"The expectations will be a lot different for him this season," Gannon said. "The bar has been set, and the question is, can he play at the same level, with the same consistency, for a full season?"
The jury also is out on whether Romo can handle the wrath of Terrell Owens. The mercurial receiver has a history of lashing out at his quarterbacks, although most of his anger since signing with Dallas before last season has been directed at coaches.
"Romo is in a very difficult situation in that he has a guy he has to throw to that's a handful," Gannon said. "(Owens) is a high-maintenance guy and very volatile. At some point, he'll (get upset at Romo). It's not a question of if. It's a question of when. Then the question becomes, how will Tony handle it?"
Esiason doesn't think Owens will be a problem.
"I think Owens likes Tony," Esiason said. "And, at the end of the day, how many more people can Terrell Owens piss off? Tony is still a kid, and Terrell will have an effect on him. But, hopefully, it will be a positive effect. I know when I talked to Tony at the Pro Bowl, he said he has no problem with T.O. and, in fact, really appreciates him.
"That was smart to say. When you are a quarterback, you have to be part politician. Tony knows that. He knows what's going on."
Esiason said his conversation with Romo convinced him the Wisconsin native is bound for stardom.
"I walked away thinking, 'That kid is going to be really great someday,'" Esiason said.
COWBOYS' TRAINING CAMP STOCK CHART
BUY
Wade Phillips sparking the defense: Count on Phillips, a defensive mastermind, turning the Cowboys' 3-4 attack into one of the league's best. He studied under his father, Bum Phillips, and Buddy Ryan, the architect of the Chicago Bears’ legendary 1985 unit. Phillips' aggressive style will bring out the best in several players, including underachieving ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty and coverage-challenged safety Roy Williams.
Tony Romo returning to the Pro Bowl: With a work ethic and enthusiasm for the game that knows no bounds, an explosive receiving corps and a defense that will provide excellent field position, Romo will prove Jerry Jones knew what he was doing when he passed on drafting Brady Quinn.
Jason Garrett excelling as a play caller: Forget that Garrett, 41, has never been a coordinator. He's too smart and has been around too many great offensive minds (Norv Turner and Ernie Zampese to name a few) to fail.
SELL
Leonard Davis justifying his franchise-record $16 million signing bonus: No question the 366-pound former Texas star is an upgrade over Marco Rivera, but his lack of athleticism and inability to make plays on the second level will prevent him from joining the likes of Minnesota's Steve Hutchinson or Chicago's Ruben Brown.
Linebacker Greg Ellis returning to form: Nobody works harder than Ellis, but even a young man would have a tough time bouncing back from a torn Achilles' tendon. Ellis turns 32 on Aug. 14.
Terrell Owens walking the line: Things should be smoother with receivers coach Todd Haley gone and the affable Phillips in charge instead of Bill Parcells, but Owens will always look for a scapegoat when things don't go his way. This year's target could be Garrett.
Express-News Staff Writer
When Tony Romo arrived in Oxnard, Calif., for training camp last summer with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys, his status as a celebrity was barely a notch or two above that of struggling actors in nearby Los Angeles.
But after a season in which he supplanted Drew Bledsoe as the starter, often played like the second coming of boyhood idol Brett Favre and formed friendships with singers Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood, Romo has gone from the D-list to being one of the NFL's most marketable players.
And nobody — with the possible exception of Romo's agent — is happier about the transformation than Jerry Jones.
"I like his colorfulness off the field," the Cowboys owner recently told reporters in Irving when asked about Romo's stint as a celebrity judge at the Miss Universe pageant.
"It's good for the Cowboys and good for football," Jones said of Romo's high profile. "There is an element here that is entertainment, (but) you have to back it up with action."
That should be no problem for Romo this season, said two former NFL quarterbacks who are analysts for CBS.
Boomer Esiason and Rich Gannon, who spent a combined 32 seasons in the league, predict Romo's star will continue to rise. Fans in San Antonio can get a close look at Romo during training camp, which begins with a 2:30 p.m. workout Wednesday at the Alamodome.
All practices are free and open to the public.
"I don't see why he shouldn't be one of the best quarterbacks in the league," Esiason said of Romo, 27. "In fact, I'll go as far as to say I expect him to be in the Pro Bowl again this season."
"I think he'll be just fine this year," Gannon said. "He's a very athletic guy, he throws the ball well, moves well and he's got a toughness I really like."
Romo's mental fortitude came into question in January after his botched hold on a 19-yard field-goal try with 1:19 left allowed Seattle to escape with an improbable 21-20 playoff victory.
But after a brief period out of the public eye, Romo emerged in the spring sporting the same upbeat demeanor that has made him so popular with teammates, coaches and fans.
"I always knew I would be OK," he said.
That doesn't surprise Gannon.
"Nothing seems to bother him or shake him," Gannon said. "He has a lot of poise and maturity."
Determined to make up for his playoff gaffe, Romo worked tirelessly during the offseason. But he still found time for Underwood, who attended Romo's birthday party and took him to the Academy of Country Music Awards.
So has Romo's romance with Underwood undermined his love affair with football?
"I can assure you he is doing his work and doing it at the level that allowed him to come from free-agent status to being someone we are counting on," said Jones, whose faith in Romo led him to pass on a chance to select Notre Dame's Brady Quinn in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
"I like how he handles his (celebrity)," Jones added. "I know first-hand he has his mind and eye on the ball."
Said Romo: "I don't take myself too seriously, but I take my job very seriously. I think that's a good mix at the end of the day."
Esiason certainly thinks so.
"There is a great upside for this young man," Esiason said. "I love his personality and how he carries himself. He is very confident. I see him being the starting quarterback in Dallas for the next 10 years."
Of course, the Cowboys and Romo hope Esiason is right. But first the parties must hammer out a new deal for the fifth-year player from Eastern Illinois.
Romo passed for 2,903 yards and 19 touchdowns last season after his first start, in the seventh game. He's in the final year of a two-year deal worth $3.9 million and is expected to receive a better deal than the six-year, $48 million pact quarterback Matt Schaub recently got from Houston.
Although he's previously taken care of players in the final year of their deals, Jones could wait to see how Romo performs for a full season before giving him a new contract. Romo has just 11 starts in his pro career, which began when he joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.
"The expectations will be a lot different for him this season," Gannon said. "The bar has been set, and the question is, can he play at the same level, with the same consistency, for a full season?"
The jury also is out on whether Romo can handle the wrath of Terrell Owens. The mercurial receiver has a history of lashing out at his quarterbacks, although most of his anger since signing with Dallas before last season has been directed at coaches.
"Romo is in a very difficult situation in that he has a guy he has to throw to that's a handful," Gannon said. "(Owens) is a high-maintenance guy and very volatile. At some point, he'll (get upset at Romo). It's not a question of if. It's a question of when. Then the question becomes, how will Tony handle it?"
Esiason doesn't think Owens will be a problem.
"I think Owens likes Tony," Esiason said. "And, at the end of the day, how many more people can Terrell Owens piss off? Tony is still a kid, and Terrell will have an effect on him. But, hopefully, it will be a positive effect. I know when I talked to Tony at the Pro Bowl, he said he has no problem with T.O. and, in fact, really appreciates him.
"That was smart to say. When you are a quarterback, you have to be part politician. Tony knows that. He knows what's going on."
Esiason said his conversation with Romo convinced him the Wisconsin native is bound for stardom.
"I walked away thinking, 'That kid is going to be really great someday,'" Esiason said.
COWBOYS' TRAINING CAMP STOCK CHART
BUY
Wade Phillips sparking the defense: Count on Phillips, a defensive mastermind, turning the Cowboys' 3-4 attack into one of the league's best. He studied under his father, Bum Phillips, and Buddy Ryan, the architect of the Chicago Bears’ legendary 1985 unit. Phillips' aggressive style will bring out the best in several players, including underachieving ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty and coverage-challenged safety Roy Williams.
Tony Romo returning to the Pro Bowl: With a work ethic and enthusiasm for the game that knows no bounds, an explosive receiving corps and a defense that will provide excellent field position, Romo will prove Jerry Jones knew what he was doing when he passed on drafting Brady Quinn.
Jason Garrett excelling as a play caller: Forget that Garrett, 41, has never been a coordinator. He's too smart and has been around too many great offensive minds (Norv Turner and Ernie Zampese to name a few) to fail.
SELL
Leonard Davis justifying his franchise-record $16 million signing bonus: No question the 366-pound former Texas star is an upgrade over Marco Rivera, but his lack of athleticism and inability to make plays on the second level will prevent him from joining the likes of Minnesota's Steve Hutchinson or Chicago's Ruben Brown.
Linebacker Greg Ellis returning to form: Nobody works harder than Ellis, but even a young man would have a tough time bouncing back from a torn Achilles' tendon. Ellis turns 32 on Aug. 14.
Terrell Owens walking the line: Things should be smoother with receivers coach Todd Haley gone and the affable Phillips in charge instead of Bill Parcells, but Owens will always look for a scapegoat when things don't go his way. This year's target could be Garrett.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:47 PM
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