After three seasons, I have watched Tony Romo in countless pressure situations. And I have come to a conclusion: There is a new universal sign for choking, football fans. It's no longer Brett Favre. It's Tony Romo.
Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo is the biggest choker in the history of the National Football League.
Make no mistake. Tony Romo is a very good quarterback. You could even make the argument that Tony Romo is a great quarterback. A top-eight quarterback in the NFL—until the months of December and January.
Where did it begin?
The legend of Tony Romo began halfway through the 2006 season, following the benching of Drew Bledsoe (Dallas fans can thank the Eagles for that one).
Romo quickly led the Cowboys to four straight wins, including a beatdown on the previously undefeated and eventual Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. He threw five touchdown passes on Thanksgiving Day, a game in which I still remember turning to my dad and saying, “Dallas is going to the Super Bowl.”
But the trouble began the very next week. Although the Cowboys defeated the Giants 23-20, Romo threw no touchdowns and two interceptions. The next week pitted the Cowboys against the new NFC-favorite New Orleans Saints. Romo completed less than half of his passes and again threw two interceptions, as the Saints dismantled "America's Team”, 42-17.
A narrow win over the Atlanta Falcons brought the Dallas Cowboys into a favorable situation against the Jeff Garcia-led Philadelphia Eagles with the division title on the line. Every Cowboys fan remembers this game. I call it the Christmas Day Massacre.
Just like he did against the Saints, Romo completed less than half of his passes and threw two costly fourth-quarter interceptions, as the Eagles clinched a playoff spot with a 23-7 victory.
Cowboys fans didn't panic. They knew they could still win the division. The Lions (2-13) were coming to town the next week. Yet, to the shock of the football world, the roar of the Lions was too much for Romo's squad to overcome. He fumbled four times, losing two of them, and threw an interception, as the Lions handed the Eagles their fifth division title of the millennium.
Dallas, losers of three out of four in the month of December, still earned a wild-card spot and traveled to Seattle for the first round of the NFL playoffs. Trailing 21-20 with under a minute remaining, the Cowboys attempted a 19-yard field goal—essentially an extra point. Tony Romo fumbled the snap from center, and attempted to run with the football to win the game. A diving tackle by defensive back Jordan Babineaux sealed an improbable victory for the Seattle Seahawks.
It was the happiest moment of my life as a Cowboys hater.
The 2007 regular season spelled success for the Dallas Cowboys. Winners of 11 of their first 12 games, Romo helped Dallas earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. He continued to struggle in December, throwing three interceptions, fumbling twice, and completing 13 of 36 passes as the 'Boys lost a home game to the 5-8 Eagles.
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