Report: Ex-Broncos LB Bill Romanowski Facing Charges for Tax Evasion

Nobody relishes playing the bad boy quite like Bill Romanowski.

Former Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski won a total of four Super Bowl titles during his prolific 16-year career, but he was never far away from controversy. Romanowski's newest battle with authority is centered around his mounting tax problems, which allegedly started way back in 1998 when he was still taking home a paycheck in Denver.

The Athletic's Nick Kosmider is reporting that Romanowski and his wife Julie are facing charges from the Department of Justice over unpaid back taxes dating to 1998, which, including penalties and interest, amount to an eye-watering total of $15.33 million. 

The unpaid taxes, statutory penalties and interest owed over eight years from 1998 to 2007 now total $15.33 million, the lawsuit brought by the U.S. alleges.

“Despite timely notice and demand for payment, the Romanowskis have neglected, refused or failed to pay the assessments against them,” the complaint says.

The complaint also alleges that the Romanowskis used funds from their nutrition business, N53, to pay personal living expenses. The document alleges the couple used corporate funds to pay for rent; appointments at nail, hair and spa salons; plastic surgery and chiropractic appointments; pet food; and groceries.

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The Romanowskis' alleged siphoning of company funds has rattled the cage of federal prosecutors, and it's going to play out in court. Bill Romanowski's ongoing tax evasion problems will do little to improve his already seriously tarnished reputation among older football fans. 

Before landing in Denver, Romanowski played in two NFL cities, winning two Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers. Following his five-year stint with the Broncos, he took his talents to Oakland, where he finished out his career. Despite his accomplishments in the Orange and Blue, he relished playing the turncoat villain as a Raider twice per year vs. the Broncos. 

Romanowski's Monday Night Football incident, when he spat in the face of former Niners wide receiver J.J. Stokes, often reappears as a stain on the two-time Pro Bowler's resume, but the Broncos overcame it that year on the way to triumph in Super Bowl XXXII. Despite Romanowski’s well-cultivated bad-boy image, his winning credentials meant he was accepted back into the embrace of Broncos Country as recently as 2022 to commemorate the team's first-ever World Championship.

However, the fond memories of the brutal, winning edge Romanowski gave the Broncos in the '90s are likely to be tarnished in the light of his mounting legal problems. That being said, rest assured that nobody loves playing the bad guy and fighting his way out of trouble quite like 'Romo.'

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