Tony Romo: An Unusual Rise to Fame

Tony Romo has been through a lot in his short career. Undrafted out of Eastern Illinois Univeristy, he’s had to earn everything he’s been given. It hasn’t been easy for the seven-year veteran. In a one-on-one interview Tony Romo takes the me from his days as a multi-sport athlete in high school, to his days in college as a Division II All-American, to being an undrafted free agent, and then through his sudden rise to fame as the quarterback of “America’s Team.”

**Questions**

JW:    Tony, have you always aspired to be an NFL quarterback?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    In high school, you were a multi-sport athlete. Why did you decide to focus on  football?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    So you made the decision to play football, and you won all kinds of honors. Did you receive any attention from any major schools? Why did you choose Eastern Illinois?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What was it like being the quarterback of a small Division II school (Eastern Illinois) in the Ohio Valley Conference?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What advantages or disadvantages do you think there are to playing at such a small school?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    I’m from Kansas State University. Back in 2002, you led your Eastern Illinois team onto Wagner Field in Manhattan, where the Wildcats beat your Panthers, 63-13. What effect, if any, did games like those have on your psyche as an aspiring NFL quarterback?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    When did you decide you were going to declare for the NFL draft?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    You were invited to the NFL Combine. What kind of feedback did you get from coaches and scouts?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    In your heart of hearts, did you think you were going to get drafted?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What were you doing during the two days of the draft? Take me through those two days.

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What were you feeling after you found out your name wasn’t called?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What was your plan after that? Were you going to wait and hope that a team called or did you have another job lined up? What was your next move?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    Who was the first team to call? Any other teams call? How’d it feel to finally get that call?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    So, you came into Dallas as the third quarterback. What was it like going from top dog in college to the last quarterback on the roster?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    As your early career progressed, you saw the Cowboys go through several starting quarterbacks, but none of them were you. Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson, Drew Henson, Vinny Testeverde, and Drew Bledsoe all got their shot. Nobody seemed to give you a chance. What’s that like?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    How much did those quarterbacks help you in your development? Which one taught you the most about being an NFL quarterback?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    You work your way up to the back up quarterback by 2005. Coming into the 2006
season, there were rumors you may be the starting quarterback by the end of the season. How much did you listen to those rumors, and did Bill Parcells do or say anything to you to make you think there may be some truth to them?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    It’s week seven in 2006. The Cowboys are playing at home against the Giants. In the second quarter, the offense is driving and is near the end-zone. Drew Bledsoe drops back, throws a pass to Terry Glenn. Sam Madison jumps the route and intercepts the ball, which really seemed to deflate everybody. Bill Parcells pulls the plug on Bledsoe at halftime and you start the second half. How did it feel to know you had finally become the quarterback?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    You completed your first pass. But, it went to Giants linebacker, Anthony Pierce. What was that like? How do you deal with that?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    You went on to have a dream season, making your first of two Pro Bowls. How did you deal with such a quick rise to fame?

TR:     Answer:

JW:    The Seattle playoff game. You played well, but people will always remember the bobbled snap. Take me through that play.

TR:     Answer.

JW:    After the play, that epic photograph of you sitting on the field with your face in your hands. What were you feeling at that time?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    The next year was a dream season for you. You shattered almost every Cowboys record. You won on 13 games, and got a first round bye in the playoffs. How does it feel to have things going so well for you at that time?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    During the bye week in the playoffs, you and Jason Witten went to Mexico and got a lot of  scrutiny from fans and media. Then you lost at home to the Giants and everyone wanted to blame you and your trip. Do you think you were treated fairly by the media?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    This past season was up and down. You started hot, got injured and the team sort of limped its way through the end of the season. How difficult was it going from being on top of the NFL to having that label of “never able to win the big game?”

TR:     Answer.

JW:    Since your rise to NFL prominence, your personal life has been followed very closely, especially your relationship with Jessica Simpson. How do you deal with that constant almost Big Brother type of watchful eye?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    How do you envision this upcoming year going for you and your team?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    What do you think will be the team’s biggest obstacle in achieving success this year?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    Anything new that you’ve been working on in your personal game?

TR:     Answer.

JW:    When your career is all said and done, how do you want to be remembered? What do you want your legacy to be?

TR:     Answer.

Tony Romo has been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in his short NFL career. There are a lot of questions still left unanswered about him as a quarterback. The good news is he’s got a lot of football ahead of him, and he’ll get a chance to answer every single one.