Tony Romo, the prominent CBS football analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, was arrested Thursday night in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating while under the influence. The arrest marks a significant development for one of the NFL’s most recognizable broadcast personalities.
According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Romo was pulled over around 6:18 p.m. while driving southbound on Interstate 43 near the high-rise bridge. An arrest detention report obtained by local news outlets indicates that Romo performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests and was taken into custody for first-offense operating while intoxicated, commonly referred to as OWI.
The 46-year-old was booked and released from the Milwaukee County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 21. In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI is typically a civil offense rather than a criminal charge, with fines generally ranging from $150 to $300. Formal charges have not yet been filed.
Romo was in Wisconsin participating in the Wisconsin State Amateur Golf Championship in West Bend. According to tournament results, the longtime football figure competed in the 125th Wisconsin Amateur Championship earlier that day and finished tied for 74th place. The Wisconsin amateur golf tournament ran from Monday through Thursday.
A Burlington, Wisconsin native, Romo grew up in the state and maintains strong ties to his home region. In 2020, a football field at his high school was named in his honor, and he attended the dedication ceremony in 2022. He has also hosted a free annual football camp in his hometown since 2004.
Currently, Romo serves as the lead analyst for CBS Sports’ top NFL broadcast team, a position he has held since joining the network in 2017. He works alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson covering Sunday afternoon games and other high-profile NFL broadcasts. Romo has also called multiple Super Bowls for the network since his hiring.
Before his broadcasting career, Romo spent 13 seasons as the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback, having signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He became the team’s starting quarterback in 2006 and remained a starter for most of his tenure. Over his 13-year NFL career, Romo accumulated 34,183 passing yards and 248 touchdowns. He was selected to four Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro recognition. Romo retired from playing following the 2016 season.
The arrest report does not specify whether Romo submitted to breath testing or declined. Neither CBS nor the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office immediately responded to inquiries regarding the arrest. It remains unclear at this time whether the incident will affect Romo’s employment with CBS. If Romo’s scheduled court appearance proceeds as planned on September 21, it would occur on a Monday during the NFL regular season, when he typically works on Sundays.
This is Romo’s first known arrest. His legal proceedings will unfold in the coming weeks as the court date approaches.