Tony Romo pleads no contest in Wisconsin OWI case, receives six-month driving ban

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated following a July traffic stop in Wisconsin. The Associated Press reported that Milwaukee County court records show Romo lost his driving privileges for six months and was ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program.

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The records also show that Romo owes $834. An ignition interlock device must be installed on any vehicle he owns, operates or has registered in his name, and the requirement will remain in place for at least one year after he receives a license. The Guardian carried the AP report on Tuesday.

Romo was arrested on July 23 after the traffic stop. Citations released by the Milwaukee County sheriff’s office said he performed poorly on field sobriety tests and that an open alcoholic beverage bottle was found on the passenger side of his Jeep. Body-camera footage showed a deputy telling Romo that red, glassy eyes and the smell of alcohol contributed to the suspicion that he was impaired.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Romo apologized and said he accepted responsibility for his actions. He said multiple back operations that preceded the end of his playing career left him with persistent pain, leading first to dependence on pain medication and then, during efforts to stop using that medication, to an over-reliance on alcohol. Romo said that explanation was not an excuse.

The 46-year-old said he is working with doctors to address his health and make changes. He thanked his family, friends and the NFL community for supporting him, and asked for privacy while he focuses on his health and family before a possible return to CBS.

CBS has placed Romo on leave from his role as its lead NFL game analyst. CBS Sports president David Berson said last month that the network had no timetable for a decision on Romo’s future. JJ Watt will work alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on the network’s lead NFL broadcast team during Romo’s absence. Romo joined CBS in 2017 after a 2004-16 Cowboys career that included four Pro Bowl selections.