Tony Romo arrested on suspected intoxicated driving in Wisconsin

Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who became CBS Sports’ lead NFL analyst, was arrested Thursday evening in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Romo, 46, was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43 near downtown Milwaukee at about 6:18 p.m. CDT, according to sheriff’s records cited by NBC News and an arrest report cited by CBS News. The report said deputies took him into custody after he “performed poorly” on standardized field sobriety tests.

He was booked at the Milwaukee County Jail on one count of allegedly operating while intoxicated and released around 11 p.m., CBS News reported. The sheriff’s office said the matter remains under investigation.

Romo has a court appearance scheduled for Sept. 21 at 8:30 a.m., according to CBS News. NBC News reported that the date falls on the Monday night of the NFL’s Week 2, when the top CBS matchup that weekend figures to be the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the AFC-champion New England Patriots.

In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI is not a criminal charge and typically carries a fine of $150 to $300, The Guardian reported.

Romo is a native of Burlington, Wisconsin, about 30 to 35 miles from Milwaukee. The Guardian, citing Wisconsin Public Radio, reported that he was in the area to golf in the annual Wisconsin Amateur Championship. NBC News, citing Milwaukee station WTMJ, reported that the traffic stop came just hours after Romo completed an interview with the station.

CBS Sports declined to comment on the arrest. NBC News reported Friday that it was not immediately clear whether Romo had hired a defense attorney to speak on his behalf.

Romo played his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, appearing in parts of 13 seasons from 2004 to 2016. He made four Pro Bowls and remains the Cowboys’ franchise leader in career touchdown passes with 248. He also held the team record for career passing yards, with 34,183, until Dak Prescott passed him last season.

After retiring as a player, Romo moved directly into broadcasting with CBS in 2017. He serves as the network’s lead game analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, and NBC News reported that he called his third Super Bowl in 2024.