Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo was born on April 21, 1980, in San Diego, California. Tony Romo is the current starting quarterback for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe in Week 8 of the 2006 season.
Tony Romo Personal bio:
Tony Romo is a third-generation Mexican American on his father's side. His grandfather, Ramiro Romo Sr., emigrated from Múzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico to San Antonio, Texas as an adolescent. The elder Romo cites Tony's success as an example of the possibilities afforded to immigrants in the United States: "I've always said this is a country of opportunities. If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to." Tony Romo's mother is of Polish-German descent.
Tony Romo was born in San Diego, where his father was serving in the military, but his family returned to their home in Burlington, Wisconsin when he was 2 years old. Playing quarterback for the Burlington Demons his junior and senior year of High School, he was unable to lead the team to a winning record, though he did make the All-Racine County football team and was honorable mention all-state in basketball.
Tony Romo is an avid amateur golfer, and attempted to qualify for the 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the 2005 U.S. Open, but missed the cut. During the offseason, when not training, he is known to play golf around Dallas.
Tony Romo is also a frequent guest on local sports radio programs. Beginning in 2006, he has been the co-host of "Inside The Huddle", a one-hour player commentary show that airs on ESPN Radio on KESN-FM in Dallas along with linebacker Bradie James.
Tony Romo also has moonlighted as a rock god, once joining Los Angeles cover band Metal Skool and Dennis Haskins, of Saved By The Bell fame, onstage for a rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing".
Tony Romo is beloved by his alma mater, Eastern Illinois University, which has few professional athletes. Mike Shanahan, coach of the Denver Broncos, also played quarterback for Eastern Illinois University. In addition to Shanahan, NFL coaches Sean Payton and Brad Childress have played for the university.
Tony Romo bio in college:
Tony Romo
attended college at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. In 1999, his first year of collegiate football, Tony Romo appeared in three games, completing 24-of-49 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns. He was red shirted as a true freshman. As a sophomore, Tony Romo ranked second in Division 1-AA in passing efficiency, completing 164-of-278 passes for 2,583 yards and 27 touchdowns. After the season, he was honored as an All-America honorable mention, an All-Ohio Valley Conference member, and the OVC Player of the Year. As a junior, he led Division 1-AA in passing efficiency, completing 138-of-207 passes for 2,068 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was selected to the Associated Press All-America third team, All-Ohio Valley Conference first team and the OVC Player of the Year.
On Dec.19, 2002, Tony Romo was the first player in Eastern Illinois and Ohio Valley Conference history to win the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the nation's top player at the NCAA Division 1-AA level. Tony Romo finished his career holding school and conference records with 85 touchdown passes. Tony Romo was second in school and third in conference history with 8,212 passing yards. Tony Romo was also second in school history with 584 completions and 941 attempts. As a senior, he set school and conference records for completions with 258 in 407 attempts for 3,615 yards, ranked him second in conference and third in school history for a season. Tony Romo threw for 34 touchdowns and scored one rushing touchdown. Tony Romo's 3,149 yards in total offense as a senior ranked third in school and conference history. Along with the Walter Payton Award, Tony Romo earned consensus All-America honors. He was also selected All-Ohio Valley Conference and was named OVC Player of the Year for the third straight year.
Tony Romo bio in NFL:
In 2003, Tony Romo was signed by the Dallas Cowboys under the advice of Sean Payton, the Cowboys' assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach (now head coach of the New Orleans Saints). Tony Romo attended the 2003 NFL Scouting Combine, but, despite intriguing some scouts, went undrafted during the 2003 NFL draft. Throughout the draft, Tony Romo was assured by Sean Payton of the Cowboys' interest, and shortly afterwards was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent. Tony Romo entered the 2003 training camp third on the Cowboys' depth chart behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. In 2004, the Cowboys released quarterback Chad Hutchinson and signed veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde and traded a 3rd round draft pick to the Houston Texans for quarterback Drew Henson. Tony Romo faced being cut from the roster until Quincy Carter was released following allegations of substance abuse. After Vinny Testaverde's tenure in Dallas ended in 2005, the Cowboys signed veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe, the 8th starting quarterback of the Cowboys since 2000.
Tony Romo had strong showings in the 2005 and 2006 pre-seasons. In the 2006 off-season, Sean Payton (then head coach of the New Orleans Saints), offered a third round draft pick for Tony Romo, but Jerry Jones refused, asking for no less than a second round draft pick. Tony Romo eventually took over the starting quarterback role during the 2006 season to a roaring crowd after half time against the New York Giants during Monday Night Football on October 23.
The best games in his career against the Seattle Seahawks. Tony Romo's performance had many experts wondering if Tony Romo's time to replace Bledsoe at quarterback would be sooner rather than later.
Tony Romo bio in 2006:
Tony Romo's first NFL pass resulted in a 33 yard completion to Sam Hurd vs. the Houston Texans on October 15, 2006. During the same game, Tony Romo threw his first NFL touchdown pass to Terrell Owens. The following week, Tony Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe for the start of the second half on October 23, 2006 on Monday Night Football. His first pass was a tipped pass intercepted by the New York Giants. He would later throw a touchdown to Terrell Owens and score a two point conversion by running the ball in the end zone. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter Tony Romo would throw a goal line interception that was returned for a touchdown by Kevin Dockery. His game stats in only his second NFL appearance were: 14 completions on 25 attempts for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Two days later, on October 25, Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells announced that Tony Romo would be the starting quarterback for their October 29 game against the Carolina Panthers on NBC Sunday Night Football. Tony Romo led the Cowboys to victory in his first game as a starter, 35-14. In that game, Tony Romo was Sunday Night Football's "Rock Star of the Game."
On November 19, 2006 Tony Romo led the Cowboys past the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's last unbeaten team. Tony Romo completed 19 of 23 passes as the Cowboys topped the Colts 21-14. Four days later, Tony Romo helped the Cowboys win in a Thanksgiving Day NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the score of 38-10. Tony Romo went 22-29 with 306 yards and five touchdown passes without an interception, becoming the highest rated quarterback in the league. He tied a franchise record for touchdown passes in a game set by several others, most recently Troy Aikman. For his performance, he was awarded FOX's Galloping Gobbler award as the Thanksgiving Day MVP.
On December 3rd 2006, Tony Romo faced the New York Giants for the second time in his career and made the most of it. He completed 20 of 34 passing attempts for 257 yards while leading the Cowboys to victory. This victory marked Tony Romo's first win as starting quarterback against an NFC East opponent.
Tony Romo has now helped the Cowboys clinch a playoff spot. It will be the Cowboys' first playoff appearance since the 2003 season, Bill Parcells first season coaching in Dallas.
On December 19, 2006, it was announced that, in just his first year as a starter, Tony Romo would be attending the 2007 Pro Bowl, as just one of four Cowboys chosen for the NFC team. He had played in just eight games as a starter with a record of 6-2, with 2,440 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He leads the NFC with a 66.3 completion percentage and is averaging a league-high 8.84 yards per attempt.
During the 2006 Christmas season, Tony Romo's #9 replica jerseys were the hottest items on the list for many Cowboys fans. They were in such high demand from NFLShop.com that they couldn't be produced quickly enough, making it one of the most-requested items in history.
