Fans of the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos have been waiting with baited breathe as to what was to become of quarterback Tony Romo. On Tuesday, they got their answer.
According to ESPN, Romo had decided to hang up his cleats. Not taking long to find a new career, he will take over for Phil Simms (Broncos fans rejoice) as the top color commentator for football on CBS, according to the SportsBusiness Journal.
The decision to retire comes not from a desire to enter the broadcast booth, but instead is reportedly driven by Romo’s concerns over his health and a desire to spend more time with his family. He is leaving the door open to a potential return, as any contract he signs with a network will allegedly contain an opt-out clause, should he decide to take an opportunity with an NFL team.
Due to myriad reasons, from his back, to his collarbone, to Dak Prescott, Romo has been limited to 20 games over the past three seasons. Now 36, it may have been tough for Romo to withstand the rigors of a full 16-game season.
The Cowboys released Romo on Tuesday, with a post June 2 designation. He will count $10.7 million against the cap this season and $8.9 million in 2018. The Cowboys would gain $14 million in cap space, but it would not become available until June 2.
The Broncos and Texans were rumored to have been interested in Romo’s services, but were not interested in acquiring the veteran quarterback via trade. The Broncos will now likely stick with the combination of Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. After trading Brock Osweiler, the Texans are left with Tom Savage. Jay Cutler, Colin Kaepernick and Ryan Fitzpatrick are some of the free agent quarterbacks available.