Tony Romo spent his entire 14-year NFL career dealing with the attention that follows a Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Every interception became a national debate, every playoff loss stuck to his name, and even his dating life became tabloid material. That changed with Tony Romo’s arrest for OWI in Milwaukee on Thursday night.
Tony Romo Arrested Under Suspicion of OWI in Milwaukee, MI
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office stopped Romo while he was traveling south on Interstate 43 across the high-rise bridge. According to the arrest report, Romo performed poorly during standardized field sobriety tests and was taken into custody.
The 46-year-old was booked for a first-offense OWI and released. Formal charges had not been filed as of Friday afternoon, and Romo is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Sept. 21.
The case remains under investigation. Authorities have not released additional information about what initially led to the traffic stop or whether Romo submitted to a breath or blood test.
Romo’s Arrest and Legal History
Despite spending more than two decades in the spotlight, Romo’s arrest is a first, as he has no history of alcohol-related driving offenses. No previous criminal case involving the former quarterback has been widely documented.
His most notable legal issue came during his playing career, though Romo was the one bringing the complaint.
A company connected to Romo sued the NFL in 2015 after his National Fantasy Football Convention was canceled. The event was supposed to be held at a convention center attached to a Las Vegas casino. The NFL warned participating players that appearing at the event could violate its gambling policy, leading to its cancellation.
Romo’s company accused the league of fraud, business disparagement and interfering with its contracts. A Texas judge dismissed several of those claims in 2016 before throwing out what remained of the lawsuit months later. The dispute involved business and league policy, not allegations of criminal behavior.
That leaves Romo’s arrest for OWI in Milwaukee as a sharp departure from the controversies normally attached to Romo. During his playing days, criticism centered on his postseason record and whether he could deliver in the biggest moments. Since joining CBS, the arguments have shifted toward his broadcasting style and occasional habit of talking over the action.
Why Was Romo in Wisconsin?
Romo was back in Wisconsin this week to compete in the Wisconsin State Amateur Championship at West Bend Country Club. He tied for 73rd and completed the tournament Thursday, several hours before deputies stopped him.
The trip also brought him close to Burlington, where he grew up and became the first athlete from Burlington High School to earn all-state honors in football, basketball and golf. The school district named its football field after him in 2020.
CBS declined to comment on Romo’s arrest. He has worked alongside Jim Nantz on the network’s lead NFL broadcast team since 2017 and is preparing for his 10th season calling games.
Romo’s arrest is not a conviction, and he will have an opportunity to respond to the allegation through the court process. Until then, the OWI arrest in Milwaukee stands as the first major legal blemish on an otherwise clean public record.
