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    •  November 16, 2016

    Did Tony Romo pass the torch to Dak Prescott too soon?

    November 16, 2016
    Sumner Harrell
    Subscriber
    Sumner Harrell
    Subscriber

    The constant pressure on former starting QB Tony Romo to release a statement to the media on the success of the team due to new QB starter Dak Prescott finally broke through. Romo made an emotional, concession-like speech documenting his inner thoughts throughout this whole ordeal, but did it come too soon?

    Tony Romo has been watching the Dallas Cowboys rocket into orbit over the past nine weeks, but his view hasn’t been from the driver seat which is the usual for a franchise quarterback, but from the sidelines. Going down mid-game with a back injury from a hit in the first game of the season, Romo had no choice but to put his team in the hands of Dak Prescott, a quarterback fresh off of the Mississippi State turf. We all knew Prescott had potential from his college days where he was the man, holding all of the school’s passing yards records, but we really had no idea. Prescott came in like a quiet storm, composed and wrecking every team in his path leading the Cowboys to a win every time.

     

    Even though Prescott is drawing massive amounts of attention, all eyes were still on Tony Romo. The people wanted to know how Romo was feeling about seeing a team he had worked so hard for prosper without him. Theories of tensions, conflict, and jealousy flooded media reports but that is to be expected whenever there is a quarterback change. Romo finally decided to publicly address the media for the first time since his injury, and he did so in a five minute speech where he took no questions afterwards. In the statement, Romo reflected on how he remembers being young and once in Prescott’s shoes. He also went on to say that even though he wants to play more than ever, that he understands how football works and that Prescott has earned the right to be Dallas’ new starting quarterback. Before concluding, Romo made sure to say that he and Prescott have each other’s back.

     

    Although standing up in front of the world and pretty much acknowledging that Prescott has the “juice” now was admirable, it just came off as a bit rushed. Yes, the Cowboys are 8-1, but there is still so much left to the season, not to mention a potential playoff run. So Romo getting up there and giving such a sappy spiel sounded a lot like Romo being in his feelings. Granted, Romo has been all but stalked and dragged to a podium for a statement, so he had to say something, but couldn’t something short and sweet like he has been doing all season have sufficed? Who knows where the Cowboys will be in week 12 or week 15, so as the franchise quarterback, holding his peace until this whole played out would have probably been his best move.

     

    Prescott is doing an amazing job and he may even get through the rest of the season without an “L”. But after that comes an entirely different set of big boy teams like the Seahawks, Raiders, or the Patriots, who may pull Dallas’ number in the playoffs, and then what? Prescott may fold and that drawn out passing of the torch speech by Romo will have been for nothing. Certainly a veteran like Romo knows that nothing is a sure thing in the NFL, he knows firsthand that some things can be here today and gone tomorrow. So instead of offering statements that sound like he has given up on getting back in Dallas’ driver’s seat, Romo should just hang tight and ride shotgun for awhile, ready to take the wheel of his team back at a moment’s notice.

     

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