Tony Romo Through the Years

SI Staff | Mar 29, 2013

Tony Romo Through the Years /

Tony Romo Through the Years

Tony Romo

Romo capped a decorated collegiate career at Eastern Illinois with a third straight OVC Player of the Year award. He also became the first player in conference history to win the Walter Payton Award, given to the nation's top player in Division I-AA.

Tony Romo

Though Romo went unselected in the 2003 NFL Draft, his disappointment would prove short-lived. The Dallas Cowboys inked the Wisconsin native hours after the draft concluded. He entered camp as the third-string quarterback behind Quincy Carter (center) and Chad Hutchinson (left).

Tony Romo

Romo first earned attention in Dallas during a preseason victory over the Raiders in 2004. Entering the game with 4:43 remaining in regulation and Dallas trailing 20-15, he directed a 59-yard scoring drive. One play after converting a 4th-and-9 with a 13-yard completion to Sean Ryan, Romo scrambled for the game-winning score with six seconds left.

Tony Romo

After several years buried on the Dallas depth chart, Romo opened the '06 campaign as Drew Bledsoe's backup. As the Cowboys struggled early in the season under Bledsoe's watch, Romo saw sparing bits of action. He connected with Terrell Owens for his first career touchdown pass in an Oct. 1 game against the Houston Texans.

Tony Romo

During halftime of an eventual 36-22 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 23, 2006, Romo replaced Bledsoe under center. Nearly seven years later, he's yet to relinquish the starting role.

Tony Romo

Less than one month after inheriting the starting job, Romo spirited the Cowboys to a come-from-behind victory over the previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's last unbeaten team. Facing a 14-7 deficit, Romo led a pair of touchdown drives to put the Cowboys ahead 21-14 -- and a third to run out the clock for the win.

Tony Romo

Romo finished the 2006 season with 2,903 yards passing and 19 touchdowns against 13 interceptions for a passer rating of 95.1. He also helped the Cowboys to a playoff berth, the franchise's second during the Bill Parcells era.

Tony Romo

Romo's first playoff outing with the Cowboys was gut-wrenching. With Dallas trailing 21-20 inside the two-minute warning, Romo drove the offense into position for a go-ahead field goal from 19 yards. But while serving as the team's holder, he dropped the snap and attempted to run for a touchdown. Jordan Babineaux wrapped up Romo at the one, locking down the victory for the Seahawks.

Tony Romo

Romo made the first of his three Pro Bowl appearances following the 2006 season, joining Drew Brees and Marc Bulger on the NFC team. Romo threw one touchdown pass and one interception in a 31-28 defeat.

Tony Romo

Romo signed a six-year, $67.5 million contract extension with the Cowboys on Oct. 29.

Tony Romo

In a Nov. 29 victory over the Packers -- a marquee matchup between 10-1 teams -- Romo threw four touchdowns to break Danny White's single-season franchise record of 29 touchdown passes. In a Dec. 22 victory over the Panthers, Romo became the first Dallas quarterback to eclipse 4,000 yards passing in a single season. The Cowboys would finish the regular season with a 13-3 record and enter the NFC playoffs as the top overall seed.

Tony Romo

In a divisional playoff clash, New York's ferocious front seven harassed Romo throughout the afternoon. His interception in the final minute ended the Dallas comeback bid, as the Giants escaped with an unlikely 21-17 victory and went on to win the Super Bowl.

Tony Romo

Romo needed stitches and an X-ray, but a bloodied chin couldn't stop the third-year starter from tossing for 320 yards in a season-opening 28-10 rout of the Browns. By season's end, the Cowboys needed to defeat the Eagles to nab the final wild-card spot, but lost 44-6. It dropped Romo's record to 5-8 in December games and gave his critics ammunition.

Tony Romo

In a season in which the Cowboys opened their new stadium, Romo led Dallas to the NFC East title and their first playoff win in 13 years, a 34-14 victory over Philadelphia.

Tony Romo

The good times didn't last long as the following week Romo lost two fumbles, threw an interception and was sacked six times while losing 34-3 to the Vikings.

Tony Romo

A broken left clavicle relegated Romo to the sidelines during a late October Monday night game against the Giants; Dallas put him on injured reserve two months later.

Tony Romo

Romo earned major points for toughness in a Week 2 game at San Francisco, playing with a fractured rib and punctured lung and still leading Dallas to a 27-24 overtime victory. A Romo pass that Jesse Holley turned into a a 77-yard catch and run set up the deciding field goal.

Tony Romo

A severely bruised right hand put Romo on the bench in a Week 16 game against Philly. He played despite the injury in Week 17, with Dallas needing a win over the Giants to make the playoffs. New York prevailed and marched through the playoffs to win the Super Bowl.

Tony Romo

Yet another season came down to the Cowboys needing a victory on the last week of the regular season to make the playoffs. This time they lost to rookie sensation Robert Griffin III and the Redskins, giving rise to Dallas-area media saying it was time to cut ties with Romo.

Tony Romo

The Cowboys clearly like their chances better with Romo than with any other quarterback, and in March 2013 signed him to a six-year extension worth $108 million ($55 million guaranteed).

Published Mar 29, 2013

SI STAFF