Tony Gonzalez is leaving CBS as the network tries to land Tony Romo

Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones will regret releasing Tony Romo | SPEAK FOR YOURSELF

Former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez spent 17 seasons in the NFL. But the soon-to-be Hall of Famer is leaving his role as a studio analyst on The NFL Today at CBS after just three seasons.

I have had an incredible and rewarding three years at CBS and wish it could be more, but traveling to New York each week during the season is not what is best for my family at this time, Gonzalez said in a statement. Sports Illustrated"s Richard Deitsch was first to report the news.

Gonzalez, who lives in Los Angeles, hopes to remain in broadcasting. He was hired back in February 2014 along with former linebacker Bart Scott as part of a shake-up at CBS that also saw the exit of Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe.

CBS isnt the only network that is messing with the lineup on its Sunday NFL pre-game show. Over at ESPN, Sam Ponder is replacing Chris Berman as the host of Sunday NFL Countdown, where she"ll be joined by former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan.

As far as a replacement goes, CBS hasnt made any announcements, though one name that seems to be getting a fair amount of attention is former Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask, who was a regular on That Other Pregame Show, which aired on Sundays on the CBS Sports Network.

Another name thats being floated around is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who has quickly become the more coveted free agent in broadcasting, though its unlikely he would take a studio job if he decided to retire from the NFL.

The NFL Networks Ian Rapoport reported that CBS is actually trying to entice the 36-year-old quarterbackto its booth with a big-time job opportunity replacing former Giants quarterback Phil Simms as its top anchor for the networks NFL game coverage.

CBS has not responded to a request for comment, though a source indicates the network"s interest in Romo is real.

Its unclear what would happen to Simms if CBS successfully landed romo. would romo start out in a less visible position and work his way up as Simms successor? Would Simms be demoted to a lesser role or leave the network? What role would Simms" long-time partner Jim Nantz play?

One thing is for certain: Simms is a weekly target of critics and is often mocked by fans on social media during games. The @philsimmsquotes Twitter account has amassed nearly 41,000 followers by pointing out his flubs and mistakes in realtime during games.

CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus has long defended Simms, and thinks he remains one of the best on-air talents in broadcasting.

"I think Phil is vastly under-appreciated and part of that is the overreaction to social media," McManus said going into last season. "I would just suggest that if people listen to Jim and Phil with an open mind, I think they would recognize what a good job they are doing.

One aspect that may complicate any deal is the fact that CBS has the NFLs lackluster Thursday night package for the first half of the 2017 season. Romo doesnt have any broadcasting experience, so the idea of throwing an untested rookie into a prominent role twice a week to start seems unlikely.

CBS isn"t the only network that"s shown interest in acquiring Romo.

According to an ESPN report, FOX would like Romo to replace John Lynch as an on-air NFL analyst. Lynch, a former safety who played in the league for 15 seasons, left the booth last month to become general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

If Romo were interested in the job, he could be in competition with former Eagles coach Chip Kelly,who reportedly interviewed with FOX last month for the network"s open analyst position.

The NFL TV producers I"ve spoken with really love Romo"s potential, Deitsch said on Twitter earlier this month, adding they say, he"s smart, open, prepared, [and] helpful in TV production meetings.

According to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Romo"s future might not be resolved until training camp, which starts in the middle ofJuly.

Published: March 31, 2017 9:41 AM EDT | Updated: March 31, 2017 11:48 AM EDT

Do you have a minute?...

Over the past year, the Inquirer, the Daily News and Philly.com have uncovered corruption in local and state public offices, shed light on hidden and dangerous environmental risks, and deeply examined the regions growing heroin epidemic. This is indispensable journalism, brought to you by the largest, most experienced newsroom in the region. Fact-based journalism of this caliber isnt cheap. We need your support to keep our talented reporters, editors and photographers holding government accountable, looking out for the public interest, and separating fact from fiction. If you already subscribe, thank you. If not, please consider doing so by clicking on the button below. Subscriptions can be home delivered in print, or digitally read on nearly any mobile device or computer, and start as low as 25 per day.We"re thankful for your support in every way.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Source: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pattisonave/Tony-Gonzalez-CBS-Tony-Romo-Phil-Simms.html

Continue Reading ..

10 things to know about Tony Romo, from his golf prowess to his high school basketball picture

Chiefs are not interested in pursuing QB Tony Romo | First Take

After his decade as their starting quarterback, the Cowboys are releasing quarterback Tony Romo. Here are 10 fun things to know about the longtime Cowboys playmaker:

1) His love of golf started at age 8

We all know about Tony Romo"s love for and prowess at golf. According to his official website, he received his first set of golf clubs for Christmas at age 8. As the story goes, Romo proceeded to tee up a golf ball in the empty lot next to his parents" home. Mrs. Romo informed her husband that Tony was outside getting ready to hit a golf ball directed at the neighbor"s home. His father replied, "it"s okay he"ll miss it." The youngster hit a 70-yard shot that landed square in the neighbors" front living room.

2) As a junior, he was his high school"s third-string QB

At the beginning of his junior year (1996) at Burlington High School, Tony Romo was the varsity"s third-string quarterback. When Burlington"s first- and second-string QBs passed for a combined 12 yards in a season-opening loss, Burlington coach Steve Gerber put in Romo the following week against Elkhorn. Romo, without having ever played a game of organized football in his life, passed for 308 yards. (SOURCE: Tony Romo: The Natural, D Magazine, September, 2012.)

3) He could hoop back in the day

Romo, pictured here (left) as a member of the 1998 Racine County (Wisc.) All-County boys" basketball team, also played varsity basketball, golf and tennis at Burlington High School. You may recognize former Maverick Caron Butler (standing, third from left). Romo was the first BHS athlete to receive all-state recognition in three sports. (SOURCE: Burlington High School Wall of Fame)

4) He was dominant as a Division I-AA football player

At Eastern Illinois, Romo won the Walter Payton Award in 2002, given annually to the top Division I-AA football player. He led the Panthers to an Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2001. This season, another QB from Eastern Illinois, Jimmy Garoppolo won the Payton Award.

5) He"s outperformed almost every QB from his draft class

In the 2003 draft, 32 teams made 262 selections. Thirteen quarterbacks were selected. Only one of them -- Carson Palmer, selected No. 1 overall by the Bengals -- ever made a Pro Bowl. Romo, who was undrafted, has made three. The other quarterbacks selected in the first round that year were Byron Leftwich (seventh), Kyle Boller (19th) and Rex Grossman (22nd). Chris Simms, Senaca Wallace, Brian St. Pierre, Brooks Bollinger, Drew Henson and Kliff Kingsbury were taken in later rounds.

6) The Saints wanted him

Romo attended the 2003 NFL combinebut went undrafted. Sean Payton, then an assistant with the Cowboys who also attended Eastern Illinois, assured Romo that Dallas was interested. He was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Cowboys. In 2006, when Payton -- by then head coach of the Saints --offered a third-round draft pick for Romo, the Cowboys refused.

7) Why he was attracted to his wife, Candice

"Part of what attracted me to Candice was because she"s similar to me," he said. "Inherently, we"re homebodies who like family. We go on vacation, we take her parents, we take mine. And that"s fun. Enjoyable. No one loves her family, her husband, her kids more. At the same time, no one works harder."

To read more on his kids and his faith, click here.

Candice also recently discussed tony"s fashion sense (or lack thereof).

"You know I"ve learned with Tony I can bring him the trough, he just has to choose to drink it," she told the Ben & Skin show on 105.3 The Fan. "I can only do so much. I can buy whatever clothes that look good on him, but he is his own fashion stylist. I just go with it. There"s only so many things I can do. Now with kids, I think a lot of other wives can relate, things start looking less important on the docket. His fashion taste is one of them. I feel like he"s gotten better over the years. I feel like every year we get a little bit closer."

8) He and Tom Brady have something in common

Romo, like another quarterback whom we now realize was underappreciated at draft time -- New England"s Tom Brady -- got his career break in the same way Brady did: by replacing Drew Bledsoe. Brady replaced an injured Bledsoe in 2001 and the Patriots won a Super Bowl. Romo took over for Bledsoe several games into the 2006 season.

9) He has some unflattering history

In 2007, Romo became only the second player in the history of Monday Night Football to throw five interceptions in a winning game as the Cowboys rallied to defeat Buffalo. The first person was Romo"s QB coach, Wade Wilson.

10) He"s already a Hall of Famer

On Oct. 17, 2009, Romo was inducted into Eastern Illinois" Hall of Fame and became the first player to have his number (17) retired by the school. He was also given the key to the city from Charleston Mayor John Inyart (right).

This Topic is Missing Your Voice. View Comments

Source: http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/03/08/10-things-even-cowboys-fans-might-know-tony-romo

Continue Reading ..

Jerry Jones: Dak Prescott will start vs. Eagles; will Tony Romo or Mark Sanchez back him up?

Should Dallas Cowboys Play Tony Romo? - ESPN First Take

By Jori Epstein , Staff writer Contact Jori Epstein on Twitter:

Cowboys owner and general managerJerry Jones started his postgame remarks with a strong stance on the Dallas quarterback situation: There"s no benefit in playing Tony Romo vs. Philadelphia next week in Dallas" last regular-season game.

"We don"t feel like any game we"d get from him stepping out there running some plays, several plays, a series of plays would be worth the risk," Jones said. "I think we pretty much stay to plan. It wouldn"t surprise me to see us get some of the same snaps."

Jones billed the decision as a defensive one, hoping to guard the team from injuries ahead of the postseason.

"All we need to do is really not try to push... any of our players to go beyond the norm relative to play and hurt," he said. "We don"t need to do that in Philadelphia."

Jones also said he didn"t get nervous, "not at all," when Prescott was hit during Monday night"sgame vs. Detroit. He said he thought the offensive unit "came through good" avoiding injuries in a 42-21 win over Detroit that had no bearing on playoffs.

The contest vs. Philadelphia next week, too, won"t change that the Cowboys have securedhome-field advantage and the top seed in the NFC through the playoffs.

And in those playoffs, Jones said, he would trust Romo to come in even if he hasn"t seen the fieldduring the regular season.

"We"re just not concerned about him having play time," Jones continued about Romo. "But sure wouldn"t want him to get any time other than playing behind our first.

Jones considered for a moment "if the situation came up to play behind the first" but qualified that playing games like Monday "made Dak a better quarterback."

"He played very well," Jones said. "He really made some good decisions so you don"t want to miss those reps. I keep going back to that and it sounds like you"re talking about a preseason game but these reps are so valuable for him to get.

"And of course we"re getting into a situation up there in Philadelphia that could emulate the hostility of an away field some place in the playoffs [like Houston for the Super Bowl].

"The whole point is [Dak"s] learning from this and we"ll keep that up."

When asked whether he worried about Romo being ready to play if Dak got hurt in the playoffs, Jones didn"t hesitate.

"Not at all," he said. "We"ve got the look on Tony and we"ve got all the reps and we"re seeing him work at practice and that"s enough.

"I have a very good feel for how he could do."

So who will backup Prescott on Sunday? At first, Jones said he saw "no reason why we shouldn"t go with the way we looked this week." But when asked specifically if third-string quarterback Mark Sanchez would be activated for the first time in weeks, Jones began to hesitate.

"It"s just that we haven"t thought about that and you are a little bit different next week," Jones said. "It"s another week down the road and you"ve got a little like your last preseason game before you go into it.

"That does get a little dicey if in 10 days you"re going to play a game. On the other hand, to have gotten Dak all these snaps tonight, for him to play like he played against Detroit, I think he"s a better quarterback."

Growing Dak is his main goal, Jones said.

"You make a big case for [Dak] playing against Philadelphia to be a better quarterback," Jones said.

This Topic is Missing Your Voice. View Comments

Source: http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2016/12/26/jerry-jones-dak-prescott-will-start-vs-eagles-worth-risking-tony-romo

Continue Reading ..

Sorting through options for Cowboys, Tony Romo

Skip Bayless says not to write off Tony Romo as the Dallas Cowboys QB yet | UNDISPUTED

FRISCO, Texas -- For the purposes of this conversation, let"s assume quarterback Dak Prescott starts the remainder of the season, performs well and the Dallas Cowboys make a playoff run -- if not finish with a Super Bowl victory.

What happens to former starter Tony Romo in 2017?

Romo is signed through 2019 and has base salaries of $14.5 million, $19.5 million and $20.5 million remaining on his deal with cap figures of $24.7 million, $25.2 million and $23.7 million.

Here is a look at the options:

Same as it ever was: The Cowboys don"t have to do anything. Prescott"s rookie contract helps them absorb Romo"s cap figure in 2017, even if they want him as a backup. But that is not really practical, considering the decisions the Cowboys will have to make in terms of trying to sign Zack Martin to perhaps the largest contract in the NFL for a guard, keep Ronald Leary or add pieces to the defense in the offseason.

The Cowboys could ask Romo to take a paycut, but they should have too much respect for Romo to do that. They did not make an offer to DeMarcus Ware two years ago before releasing him for fear of insulting him and his legacy. They wouldn"t do that to Romo, either.

Splitting up: Considering all of the photo alterations going on, the biggest assumption is that Romo will be in another jersey in 2017.

If the Cowboys simply release Romo once the season ends, they would save $5.1 million in 2017 cap space but he would still count $19.6 million against the cap. That"s a lot of dead money, but the Cowboys might believe ripping the Band-Aid off in one motion is the best way to handle their cap.

The Cowboys could save more cap room by designating him a post-June 1 cut, which would save them $14 million in 2017. He would count $10.7 million against the cap in 2017 and $8.9 million against the cap in 2018. The cap credit, however, does not come until June 1, 2017, so they would not see the benefit of the extra space in free agency. Some of that money could go to signing their draft picks next year and be carried over to the 2018 cap for extra space.

Reworking for a win/win: Based on Romo"s talk Tuesday, there is no doubt he wants to continue to play. It would have to be the right situation. Sorry, Cleveland, he would not go to the Browns. He would be interested in winning a Super Bowl with a team ready to contend.

The Cowboys could trade him anywhere they want, but Romo would ultimately hold the final decision. He could simply say he is retiring, which would void a trade to a place he doesn"t want to go. Considering the close relationship Romo and owner and general manager Jerry Jones have, the Cowboys would not deal Romo to just any team. They should ask him which teams he would be amenable to playing and go from there.

Whether a player is traded or cut, the cap effect is the same. It is possible Romo and the Cowboys could agree to a reworked deal by the end of this season that could lessen the team"s cap requirements and make it easier for them to make a trade next March. It is possible they could do the same if Romo has a change of heart and intends to retire after this season.

Romo and the Cowboys will have options. They have worked together on four contracts worth more than $180 million and $87 million guaranteed since he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

If they need or want to, both sides will figure out another agreement to make both parties happy.

Source: http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4755774/sorting-through-options-for-cowboys-tony-romo

Continue Reading ..