Retired pro football player turned CBS Sports personality Tony Romo just got candid about his recent OWI arrest.
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The 46-year-old former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated (OWI) yesterday morning (Sept. 2). The CBS Sports analyst released a statement apologizing for the incident.
“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant,” Romo wrote. “It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully — to the Lord, to myself, to my family and now to the public.”
He added that a slew of back surgeries “left me with constant, debilitating pain.” Romo admitted the pain “led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”
“None of this is an excuse,” the CBS personality insisted. “These are my failures and I take responsibility for them.”
He added that he’s working with doctors to “make the necessary changes.” He went on to thank family, friends, and the NFL community for their continued support.
“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 concluded.
Tony Romo is Currently on Leave From CBS
CBS placed Romo on leave following his July 23 arrest after a traffic stop on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. According to the Associated Press, the former football player’s driving privileges were revoked for six months. He was also ordered to attend an alcohol assessment program and pay a fee of $834.
An interlock device will be placed on every vehicle registered to Romo for a year.
Meanwhile, previous citations stemming from the incident, such as having open intoxicants in a motor vehicle and refusing to take an intoxication test, have been dropped.
Romo has been an NFL analyst for CBS since 2017. It’s unclear when he may return to the netowrk.