Tony Romo Pleads No Contest to Drunk Driving Charge and Opens Up About Alcohol Dependency

A Public Reckoning on the Highway

Police arrested former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS Sports football analyst Tony Romo after a traffic stop in Milwaukee on July 23. Citations released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office indicated an open bottle of an alcoholic beverage was found in the passenger side of Romo's black Jeep during an inventory before it was towed. Body camera footage showed Romo telling deputies he had been coming from a golf course and was on his way "to visit grandma and grandpa" when he was stopped.

Court records show that one of the arresting officers said he detected a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" on Romo's breath. Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was taken into custody and later released. Romo was initially cited for refusing to take a test for intoxication after an arrest. Wisconsin court records showed he was later issued three additional citations: unsafe passing on the right, first offense OWI, and possessing open intoxicants.

Taking Responsibility — and Explaining the Path That Led There

On September 1, Romo pleaded no contest to a civil offense for driving under the influence. Rather than issue a brief, lawyerly statement, Romo went further — sharing a candid and deeply personal account on Instagram. The former Cowboys quarterback and current CBS Sports NFL analyst revealed that multiple back surgeries during his 14-year career led him down a road toward a dependence on pain medication and an "over-reliance" on alcohol.

Romo wrote that multiple back surgeries ended his career earlier than he expected and left him with constant, debilitating pain. That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and his efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol. It's a cycle that will resonate with many — the use of one substance to escape another, each step feeling like a solution until it becomes a new problem. Romo stressed in his statement that he wasn't making excuses for his actions and that he takes full responsibility for the situation. He added that he is working with doctors to address his health and that he is grateful for the support he has received from people around the NFL.

The Legal Consequences

Following his plea, a Milwaukee County court found Romo guilty and, in addition to suspending his driving privileges, ordered an ignition interlock device to be installed on any vehicle owned, registered, or operated by him. As part of the no-contest plea, Romo has lost his driving privileges for six months and must complete an alcohol assessment program. He will also need to have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle he owns or operates for at least a year after he re-obtains a license, and Romo further owes $834 in forfeiture to be paid by November 2.

A Career Hanging in the Balance

Romo remains on leave at CBS as the NFL regular season approaches, following his July arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The timing couldn't be more complicated. While Romo's team appears to have some optimism that something could be worked out with CBS, others believe the OWI arrest may be too much to overcome — and CBS is already planning for a future without Romo by giving J.J. Watt a test run to kick off the 2026 regular season. Romo is still owed $72 million over the next four years from the 10-year, $180 million deal he signed in 2020.

Romo didn't make any definitive statements about his broadcasting job, but he strongly hinted that he plans to return to the booth. "As I turn my attention to my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS, I kindly ask for privacy during this period," Romo said. Whether CBS ultimately welcomes him back remains an open question — but for now, Romo seems focused on something more fundamental than football: getting well. The honesty with which he's faced this moment may not save his broadcasting career, but it speaks to a man trying, at last, to confront the real opponent.