From the time I started playing football at eight years old until my career ended in college, it’s been a time-honored tradition to reward great plays with a small sticker that is placed somewhere on your helmet.
Tremendous defensive plays or vicious hits have always been awarded a skull and crossbones sticker. Great offensive plays or TDs were given either a small football sticker or a star.
And this brings me to the Dallas Cowboys.
Growing up in the shadow of the Cowboys, I’ve followed the team most of my life. I’ve seen the lows of the 1-15 team and the highs of the great Super Bowl teams of the '90s.
Now, I’m not here to debate who is a better QB, Aikman or Romo. Nor am I here to compare the current Cowboys to the '90s Cowboys with Aikman, Irvin, Smith, and a FB named Moose.
But I am here to pose one simple question: Does Tony Romo really deserve the star on his helmet?
We all know Romo stands in the long line of those trying to fill the void of an iconic QB. It's an unenviable task at best. Few replacements have been able to fill the shoes of the previous icon.
Dallas has had eight starting QBs since Aikman retired in 2000.
Brian Greise had the NFL pedigree but couldn’t make those orange crush sunsets in Denver quite as beautifully as Elway did.
Babe Laufenberg couldn’t make lightning appear "at will," like Dan Fouts did in San Diego.
Jay Fiedler could not have stayed afloat as a Dolphin, even if he wore those arm floats my son used in the warm confines of the pee-infested kiddie pool. Marino was just too prolific of a passer.
43 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Kristin Hamlin 8 months ago
Hmmm...I totally agree with the toughness and being able to suffer through it--look at favre for instance....That is where Tony lacks.
However he gets criticized more than any other player I know this year. Whether it's who he is dating or what fumble he just had, the guy can't get a break. And when he does have an amazing game, it gets credited to T.O. or Barber.
I am not justifying that he is the best, but he has the potential to become on of the best.
I will be curious to see how Brad Johnson does....heck maybe if he flops, it will make some cowboy fans appreciate Romo, and maybe just understand that all he needs is to mature. I think once he does that, he will earn that star. Dallas has a future with Romo as their QB. Give him time.
Great article. Loved the writing on this. 5 stars and POTD!
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James Williamson 8 months ago
You do realize that Moose Johnston was a fullback and not a tight end. Second, it is Ronnie Lott. and he played cornerback/safety. A quarterback needs all his fingers to throw that ball and that is why he is being benched.
While I agree that Romo is not nearly as tough as Aikman or even Staubach, I think that we may be quick to judge him. Aikman was considered horrible for a few seasons. Especially when he was 1-15
Romo does need to get better, but before this article gets big, I'd change those errors.
Like Kristin says, he is young and still learning.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
LOL- I do realize he was a FB. Somone edited the pic and the article. I will change it back. And yes, I know Ronnie was a Free Safety actually.
I agree Romo is young, but my point is that I'm just not sure he shows the "intangible spark" that the greats had early into their career.
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James Williamson 8 months ago
It is a kind of spark that flickers. He is trying to get it stay lit. He'll get it most likely.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
TO hopes you're right
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Shaun Ahmad 8 months ago
The Cowboys aren't losing because of Tony Romo. Romo isn't on the special teams unit blocking for the punter in overtime. Romo isn't the head coach who gives Barber the ball less than 20 times a game.
The guy has thrown 14 touchdowns and has a 103.5 quarterback rating, third in the league.
Give the guy a break. He gives the Cowboys the best chance to win. Everyone is whining about Romo being this and that, not deserving of the star etc etc. Well name me someone who is deserving besides Tom Brady or Peyton Manning? All this negativity that people are bringing his way is uncalled for.
This, mind you, is coming from a Redskins fan.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Shaun,
Make no mistake, I'm not bashing Romo. I'm simply asking if he has the "intangible s"to make it deep into the playoffs. I give him a ton of credit for his play so far. I just think he's missing...something...the ability to close the deal. Perfect example: He had a chance to hit a wide open Barber in the flats for a first down to lock up the game and run out the clock against your Redskins team I believe. But he overthrew him and the Skins' went on to win. That's the stuff I'm speaking of. He had a similar opportunity yesterday special teams fiasco aside.
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Shaun Ahmad 8 months ago
Fair enough Jay. As long as you're not one of the many out there saying Romo is "overrated" etc, I'm okay with that. I think some of those intangibles that you mention are things that come along with time. Keep in mind, he hasn't been a starter for that long.
Thanks for clarifying your point.
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Fred Richani 8 months ago
I get what both of you are saying. Romo is a very good quarterback and I think he has the intangibles to succeed. Remember, he's only been a starter for a couple of seasons and some change. He'll get his eventually—as soon as Jerry Jones decides to sit in the booth and hire somebody that's not a lame duck coach.
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Devon Jeffreys 8 months ago
Is this really a valid question to ask when Romo just got hurt and we're about to endure four weeks of endless crossing routes courtesy of Brad Johnson's Ken Dorsey arm?
Yeah Romo should have cut off his pinkie so he didn't miss 3 regular season football games. Let's be real here. Ronnie Lott was crazy. He was so hopped up on painkillers you could have cut off both of his hands and smacked him in the face with them and he wouldn't have felt a thing.
This team will suffer without Romo and it will give the fans that are throwing him under the bus after a couple of rough outings a real appreciation for what they have.
It's an appreciation I already have because I can remember names like:
Tony Banks
Ryan Leaf
Anthony Wright
Chad Hutchinson
Drew Henson
Clint Stoerner
Quincy Carter
Vinny Testaverde
Drew Bledsoe
Romo-bashing Cowboys fans should look at that list and thank their lucky STARS that they have Romo leading them now.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Devon,
Well said man. You made a bunch of great points. Here's a question for you. You're the owner of a NFL franchise. There is under 3 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter of your first SuperBowl. Choosing from the past decade or two, what 3rd yr QB do you want under center. First couple choice's might not be Romo. I love the guy, but to me he's just missing...I don't know... something. Not hating on the guy. He just scares me a little.
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Fred Richani 8 months ago
Ouch. I'm a Giants fan and even I feel bad just looking at that list. Quincy under Parcells at least had potential until he ran into drug problems.
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Devon Jeffreys 8 months ago
Last couple decades? That's rough. Its hard to compare Romo to Favre, P. Manning, Elway, and the wonder boy Tom Brady, among others, all of whom won super bowls, but the middle two took awhile to reach the promised land. Tony Romo is his own person in a different age on a different team with different weapons. I still have confidence in him. He's going to have to fumble a lot more snaps, throw a lot more costly interceptions and lose a lot more playoff games before he loses my vote of confidence. The intangible is there in Romo. Sometimes we may not see it because we're blinded by the surreal expectations for this team over the past two years. I believe his time will come and like Manning and like Elway, and so many quarterbacks before them he will break through and prove that his deserves to be the cornerstone of the 2000's Dallas Cowboys. Until then, I'll deal with the red zone pick, because I know with the team is in need of a big throw, there are few quarterbacks I'd want to have on the field. And only one who wore a star since Aikman retired.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Devon,
Cowboys fans everywhere are thankful they don't have to endure some of the names you mentioned. But does Romo, who is a really good QB, have the "intangibles" to be great? He certainly can play...but he makes some really questionable plays as well.
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Devon Jeffreys 8 months ago
You're right he does make questionable plays, and they get on my nerves as much if not more than they do everybody else. But does this mean he doesn't deserve to wear the uniform? Can you name another Cowboys QB who took the team to the playoffs in his first two seasons as a starter?
I believe that Romo is going to be a quarterback that always makes a mistake or two per game, but its how he overcomes those mistakes that provides that intangible you speak of.
I'm reminded of the last Cowboys game I was fortunate enough to attend. 2006, just weeks after becoming a starter, Romo has the Cowboys ahead, at Giants Stadium with less than four minutes to go. But suddenly the defense lets up and the Giants score, tying the game with a minute to go. The momentum has swung, the Giants stadium crowd is deafening and with 1:06 left, Romo drives the Cowboys down the field, aided mostly by a 42 yard strike to Jason Witten and the Cowboys win on a field goal.
Or how about the Bills game last year. I can go on and on. Yesterday was a prime example. Did Romo have a bad day? You could say that, but when he needed to be he was there and put the team in position to tie. He made mistakes, but was there anyone who didn't believe he'd rally them down the field on that overtime drive? Then he goes and breaks his finger, his next two passes come out like crap and special teams lets us down one more time.
It's the ability to lead the team in spite of himself that is Romo's intangible. And if the defense can play four quarters of football, and if special teams can get its act together, and if Brad Johnson can somehow hold down the fort for a couple weeks, I believe that Romo will come back and lead this team deep into the playoffs, sometimes in spite of himself, but always with a star on his helmet.
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Michael Cline 8 months ago
Romo is a "preppy" quarterback. He's got the hot girl, he wears the ball cap backwards, he's playing the best golf courses in the country. He's not your "everyday joe" quarterback like Favre for instance. That's why he's not playing this next month. Nothing against that I suppose, but like you said, the fans seem to appreciate a guy who will earn his paycheck even if he is a little beaten up. Favre, Aikman, Young (Steve), those are the players we admire. So while Romo is definitely putting up great numbers, I don't think he's earned all around respect. No star yet? I'm OK with that.
Great article by the way. 5*, POTD.
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Sebastian 8 months ago
If an injured Romo is a liability to the team and damages Dallas' chances of winning, I don't consider it some form of weakness to be sitting out until he recovers enough to play again and help his team. Romo's "preppy-ness" isn't the difference between him playing or sitting. And I would hardly liken Favre to an everyday Joe-- his durability and level of consistent play is an oddity, not some "Joe Sixpack" quality that's a dime a dozen.
Knowingly playing if you're a liability and hurting your team is not just toughness-- it's stubbornness, too.
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Dan DeMagistris 8 months ago
For having 2 years under his NFL career belt, I'd say his best years are ahead of him. I think this article is a little premature considering every other "Almost Intangible Possessing" Quarterback you mention had 10 years+ in the league.
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Sebastian 8 months ago
Yes, he deserves to have the star on the side of his helmet. To question it is foolish.
What are the alternatives? Quincy Carter? Chad Hutchinson? Vinny? Bledsoe? Brooks Bollinger? You tell me who you want.
Otherwise this is nothing more than the typical, hyperbolic overreaction mixed with entitlement that so many fans in Dallas have. It's either 16-0 or scrap the team.
And this is coming from a Cowboys fan, born and raised in Dallas. How about we tough it out a little bit and see where this goes?
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
I don't belive it's foolish to question it Sebastion. I'm not suggesting they bench the guy right now. Here is the thing, if he continues to overthrow guys, throw INT's at crucial times, and fumble the ball (not just the hold) in final minutes that lead to losses, should he be there long term? Should he be the QB for Dallas if his late game errors consistenly cause them to lose games and miss playoff runs. As Dan pointed out, this could be premature, but so far we have 3 seasons of history to review and all 3 have ended not so well. And he had a significant role in many of those loses. Granted he has played well also, no dipute there. But can he get it done weh it matters most?
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mike adams 8 months ago
hey jay, they said the same things about manning (both), brady did not get it done last year after going undefeated. ellway couldn't win the big one, until he did, and my lord, favre!? can you tell me how many interceptions did he throw not being careful with the ball. i guess marino had those intangibles everyone likes to talk about except one, superbowl. how many superbowls did young win? to even mention him within the same statement as aikman is absolutely nuts! i am a cowboys fan, from washington dc no less, and i will take romo's mistakes anytime, because he DOES NOT quit. by the way, was romo blocking when he got hit for about the 20th time? name me a qb who would get beat up like that and still throw for over 300 and 3 tds. they aint out there. beat up manning, both of them, and they fold. same for brady, how'd the giants beat them last year? romo is an average everyday guy, remember, he was undrafted and came out of nowhere, even brady was drafted. people are nuts blaming that nonsense on romo, put it where it belongs, the guys who are supposed to block! cuz they aint done it in 3 weeks! give romo all the stars you can, and aikman, i know you don't want to sound biased, but jeez man, give the hatin a rest, it's like you want the boys to fail.
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Jon Herrmann 8 months ago
I think that Romo is overly critisized for not getting it done when it matters. Romo led the Cowboys to a rally in the fourth quarter to force over time against the Cardinals. He threw for three touchdowns in a game where the offensive line did not do its part. Romo played well in the play off game against the giants last year. Everyone remembers the interception in the endzone at the end. Why not remember the incredible plays he made that only turned into dropped passes. Tony Romo is a good quarterback. What the Cowboys need more than anything is for Wade Phillips to show some fire on the sidelines and in the locker room.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Great points Jon. Romo is a good QB. Can he be GREAT? TO certainly didn't help them last year. I also agreee that Phillips needs to bring more energy and passion to the team.
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MJ Kasprzak 8 months ago
Very good article, but I disagree with several points:
1. Rodgers has been WAY better than Favre was through the first six games of his first full season as a starter, even though Favre had played some the previous year.
2. Romo's throwing style will not let him play through the bad pinky better than Johnson will play. The team is better off resting him so he can be at full capability in a month.
3. Ronnie Lott is not a quarterback, so there's a big difference there. (He also only cut his finger from the last knuckle, but that is a trivial differentiation.)
None of this is to say that your overall analysis does not have merit, however. I don't care who his coach is, he has failed (either through the second half or even just the one key play) in his only two playoff games. Until he comes through in the clutch, he is not "worthy" of the star...although that is not something I would want to "worthy" of post-Landry. Y'all got a despicable team character since then.
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David Arreola 8 months ago
MJ, even in Cowboy articles you are backing Rodgers.
1) Favre was taking over for a team that had 1 winning season since Lombardi retired. Rodgers is taking over a team that has only had 1 losing season since Brett Favre took over.
2) NO excuses for quarterbacks throwing motion. Only Romo can say if he can throw well or not.
I watched Hard Knocks on HBO. The Cowboys want "swagger" not team. They have too much of that with all their "star" players like Tank Johnson, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo and the recently suspended Adam Jones. TEAMS win championships. not talent.
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MJ Kasprzak 8 months ago
LOL! Hey, you try to deal with insane people bashing your QB as being the problem when he is not and see if YOU don't get defensive! But, yeah, Favre had fewer weapons around him, but Favre didn't have to follow a legend a deal with irrational derision, either.
I'm just saying it is WAY too early to act like Rodgers will never be fit to untie Favre's sandals (that's a biblical reference to John the Baptist and Jesus, since everyone seems to worship Favre). The fact is if you wanna know why I can be so sure Rodgers will be great, it's because he already is.
As for your other comments, abso-freakin'-lutely! That's why the 'Boys won't win anything--they lack character and focus. And being a Cowboys hater, I am glad.
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Lisa Horne 8 months ago
First article by you, and you get a POTD from me. While Romo's stats are great, it's his performances in the big game that define "greatness", and it is here where he fails. I will never forget him screwing up the hold on a FG....he went from hero to goat in two seconds.
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Shaun Ahmad 8 months ago
Will you forget Favre throwing the ball up in the air wrecklessly in the NFC Championship against the Giants last year that cost them the game?
People are forgetting that Romo has two years of experience yet he's compared to greats like Favre, Brady and Manning - and then bashed.
Look at the other good quarterbacks with two years of experience. Jay Cutler, Phillip Rivers, and Jason Campbell. Now tell me which of them has done better in the past two years than Romo. The guy was 13-3 last year with much of the same team that struggled in the previous seasons.
His bobbling of the football in the Seattle playoff game was a mistake as a special teams player. They wouldn't be there if he hadn't led them on the drive as a quarterback in the first place; doing that on the road in your first season as a starter is a sign of greatness.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Thank you Lisa. I think Romo is a really solid QB especially 3 yrs into his starting role. But, the small details, a fumble here, an INT there or an overthrow at the end of the game make me question if he has "it" to close the deal. Yes it's early, but so far he's shown a propensity to not close the deal on some very key/defining moments. Glad to hear someone else see's what I see.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Shaun,
One again, you make a valid point. Can't argue with you here. Comparring him to the other young QB's is what did in my mind. They all have a little Favre in them...the result of rocket arms that can squeeze the ball into tight places, healthy ego's and inexperience. Time will tell if Romo can make the key plays at the end of games that seperate him from the others and define him as great. He seems to have a great attitude, so it'll be a fun transformation to watch.
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David Arreola 8 months ago
If you remember in Favre's first game as a Packer he led the Packers to a last second comeback against the Bengals. The game was tied as the PAT attempt was coming up. Favre was the holder. Anyone who has seen an NFL film of this game knows what happens next. Favre takes the snap and stands it on the turf. He lets go and by his luck it stays up. It could easily have fallen down and he would have been a goat. (not that i'm comparing the two QBs or the situations. Just a funny coincedence)
I think anybody who compared Romo to Favre should take back those comparisons NOW. Romo is sitting for a month with a broken pinky. Favre played half a season with a broken thumb.
I never want to hear comparisons between the two again.
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Eric Gomez 8 months ago
Romo's a guy who I believe is overrated because of the way that he burst onto the scene with Dallas and because of the fact that it's Dallas. As you mention, ever since Aikman left the Cowboys there hasn't been anyone close to filling the void.
Romo's a solid passer who has a talented cast of guys around him, but he's faltered a lot in crunch time. If Dallas engineers another early exit from the postseason directly linked to a bad performance by Romo or a bad decision by Romo at crunch time, then surely he'll be likened to the Marty Schottenheimer of QBs.
Dallas is a consensus pick to make the Super Bowl, and the brunt of that spotlight (quite unfairly, I might add) will fall on Tony. For Dallas fans, I hope he has the huevos to deliver.
PS - Wade Phillips isn't a lousy coach. He's better off as a defensive coordinator, no doubt - but as long as he has a competent offensive coordinator, he's an above-average coach anywhere.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Great comment Eric. While I belive Phillips is an above average coach, I belive he is a superb puppet from Jerry Jones. Just my personal opinion. But with that said, Phillips has done a great job creating schemes inthe past. I think he lacks that drive and fire as a GREAT HC.
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mike adams 8 months ago
uh, pardon me. did romo drop all those passes in the game against the giants last year? he's a gun slinger, and boy is he gonna tick off all those who love to hate the cowboys. bet my star, badge that is, on it!
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Danny Herron 8 months ago
Did you people just start watching football in the 90's? Someone always follows someone. Was Danny White a great QB? Yes he was. Was he the next Rodger Dodger, nope but he put up great numbers. These Cowboys shouldn't be compared to any team of the past, just the hear and now. If Superbowls are the standard then the whole team sucks and they sucked last year. I guess I have just been the wrong type of Cowboys fan, you know, the one that isn't crapping on them when they are going through a rough stretch and then saying I never had a doubt when they are winning. For those of you that are like me, you won't be offended, for those who aren't, get off the bandwagon. I am tired of running into people like you.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Danny,
I'm not crapping on Romo or the Cowboys. They are nowhere near the team Aikman had and as I stated Romo has superior numbers compared to Aikman. The difference I see, is that Aikman had a tendancy to overthrow guys early in the first quarter in REALLY BIG games. Romo has the same tendancy albeit in the final minutes of games. The difference is: Aikman left 3 1/2 quarters to rebound from his errors. Romo leaves 3 1/2 minutes. If he doesn't change that habit, can he take them to the promise land that Jerry Jones and hostile ticketholders want?
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David Arreola 8 months ago
Is it fair now to put away the comparisons he was getting to Brett Favre? A broken pinky? our for a month? Favre played with a broken thumb in 2003 and led his team to a playoff spot.
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AJ Johnson 8 months ago
You can't blame Romo for the loss in Arizona. You have to blame the sieve of an offensive line we had. It wasn't just the punt team on the last play of the game, the entire O line perfected the matador blocking technique (step out of the way, turn and wave) that put the Cowboys in the position to lose.
I also have to wonder about how much TO is affecting Romo and the Cowboys. He seems to be doing much better about keeping his mouth shut off the field, but the Cowboys' insistance on continuously forcing the ball to TO to keep him happy is stalling the team's offensive production. If Hurd, Crayton, and Austin can't step up and be productive on a consistant basis, we won't make it far in the playoffs, and some serious consideration will need to be given to drafting a talented WR (or two) in next year's draft.
I wasn't a huge Romo fan when he was first annointed, but except for the occassional poor game (and even the greatest of them have bad games) he has stepped up and proved his worth. He has made mistakes, but most of the time he and the rest of the 'Boys have been able to overcome them. Jaded fans don't remember the comebacks, they remember the losses and near misses.
However, I do agree that Phillips may not be the best coach for this team. Shrugging your shoulders when your team performs poorly and being thankful that you mananged to pull a win out of your butt is not going to get it done. Phillips has to stand up and start holding players, coaches, and himself accountable for not playing smart and hard all the time.
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Matt Schaefer 8 months ago
How is the Cowboys Star on their helment this ulmighty symbol? They brought in PacMan Jones for crying out loud and look how that worked out for them.
Wearing the Cowboys helment is not the same as it was in the past.
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Matt,
If you are unable to read the article and then correlate the symbolism, then it's likely you need more help than anyone here can provide. And BTW, ulmighty is not a word. Almighty is. Again, probably need more help than we can provide. Good luck man.
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Buddy Smith 8 months ago
Gary Hogeboom wore the star...I think it looks better on Romo.
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Kristin Hamlin 8 months ago
Jay--
Wow 41 comments!! Not bad.. Keep up the good work :)
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Jay Drudge 8 months ago
Thanks Kristin
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