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'''''Bold text''''' Nate Lorentz was born on May 5, 1993 in Cleveland, Ohio. He currently resides in Bainbridge Ohio with his parents and two dogs.
{{NFL player
|Image=
|DateOfBirth=[[April 21]], [[1980]]
|Birthplace=[[San Diego, California]]
|College=[[Eastern Illinois University|Eastern Illinois]]
|Position=[[Quarterback]]
|DraftedYear=
|DraftedRound=
|years=2003-''present''
|teams=[[Dallas Cowboys]]
|NFL=396886}}
'''Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo''' (born [[April 21]] [[1980]], in [[San Diego, California]]) is the current starting [[quarterback]] for the [[National Football League]]'s [[Dallas Cowboys]]. He replaced [[Drew Bledsoe]] in Week 8 of the [[2006]] season.
==NFL career==
Romo was signed by the Cowboys under the advice of [[Sean Payton]], the Cowboys quarterbacks coach at the time, and now with the [[New Orleans Saints]]. He was brought in by the Cowboys in the [[2003]] training camp as an undrafted rookie [[free agent]]. Romo stuck around as quarterback after [[Quincy Carter]] was released following allegations of substance abuse and after quarterback [[Chad Hutchinson]] was released following the 2003 season. After [[Vinny Testaverde]]'s tenure in Dallas, the Cowboys signed veteran quarterback [[Drew Bledsoe]], the 8th starting quarterback of the Cowboys since 2000.
Romo had a strong showing in the 2006 pre-season, especially when compared to [[Drew Bledsoe]]'s performance. {{fact}} Romo eventually took over the starting quarterback role, hearing a roaring crowd as he took the field after half time of the [[New York Giants]] vs. [[Dallas Cowboys]] game during ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' on [[October 23]].
===2006 season===
{{context}}
In the 2006 pre-season, Romo had one of the best games in his career against the [[Seattle Seahawks]]. Romo's performance had many experts wondering if Romo's time to replace Bledsoe at quarterback would be sooner rather than later <ref name='peterking'> [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/peter_king/09/05/mailbag/index.html Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback] column at si.com, September 5, 2006
</ref>.
Romo's first [[National Football League|NFL]] pass resulted in a 34 yard completion to [[Sam Hurd]] vs. the [[Houston Texans]] on [[October 15]], [[2006 NFL season|2006]]. During the same game, Romo threw his first NFL touchdown pass to [[Terrell Owens]]. The following week, Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe for the start of the second half on [[October 23]], [[2006]] on ''[[Monday Night Football]]''. His first pass was a tipped pass intercepted by the [[New York Giants]]. He would later throw a touchdown to Terrell Owens and score a [[two point conversion]] by running the ball in the endzone. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter Romo would throw a goal line interception that was returned for a touchdown by [[Kevin Dockery]]. His game stats in only his second NFL appearance were: 14 completions on 25 attempts for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Two days later, on [[October 25]], Cowboys head coach [[Bill Parcells]] announced that Romo would be the starting quarterback for their [[October 29]] game against the [[Carolina Panthers]] on ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football]]''. Romo led the Cowboys to victory in his first game as a starter, 35-14. In that game, Romo was ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football|Sunday Night Football]]'''s "Rock Star of the Game."
On [[November 19]], [[2006 NFL season|2006]] Tony Romo led the Cowboys past the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL's last unbeaten team. Romo completed 19 of 23 passes as the Cowboys topped the Colts 21-14. Four days later, Romo helped the Cowboys win in a [[Thanksgiving Classic|Thanksgiving Day NFL game]] against the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] by the score of 38-10. Romo went 22-29 with 306 yards and five touchdown passes without an interception, becoming the highest rated quarterback in the league. He tied a franchise record for touchdown passes in a game set by several others, most recently [[Troy Aikman]]. For his performance, he was awarded the Galloping Gobbler award as the Thanksgiving Day MVP.
On December 3rd 2006, Romo faced the New York Giants for the second time in his career and made the most of it. He completed 20 of 34 passing attempts for 257 yards while leading the Cowboys to victory. This victory marked Romo's first win as starting quarterback against an NFC East opponent.
===Controversial Michael Irvin comments===
In November 2006, on [[ESPN Radio]]'s ''[[Dan Patrick Show]]'', former Cowboy [[Michael Irvin]] made a scheduled appearance to talk football. When the discussion shifted to Romo, Irvin stated Romo's athletic ability must be due to African-American heritage and made references to Romo's maternal relatives being involved with "slave brothers." Irvin later apologized, stating that he was joking like players in a locker room. <ref>[http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_4752623 After all these years, teammates] from 11/30/2006</ref>
==Personal life==
Romo is a third-generation [[Mexican American]]. His grandfather, Ramiro Romo Sr., emigrated from {{city-state|Múzquiz| Coahuila}}, [[Mexico]] to [[San Antonio, Texas]] as an adolescent. The elder Romo cites Tony's success as an example of the possibilities afforded to [[immigrant]]s in the [[Immigration to the United States|United States]]: "I've always said this is a country of opportunities. If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to." <ref name='MySA'>{{cite news
|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/football/nfl/cowboys/stories/MYSA110306.01D.FBNcowboys.romo.2c1062c.html
|publisher=[[San Antonio Express-News]]
|author=David Flores
|title=Romo's grandparents revel in his first game as Cowboys' starting QB
|date=2006-11-02
|accessdate=2006-11-29
}}</ref>
He is an avid amateur [[golf]]er, and attempted to qualify for the 2004 [[EDS Byron Nelson Championship]] and the 2005 [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]], but missed the cut. During the offseason, when not training, he is known to play golf around [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]].
Romo is also a frequent guest on local [[sports radio]] programs. Beginning in 2006, he has been the co-host of [http://www.cowboyslive.com "Inside The Huddle"], a one-hour player commentary show that airs on [[ESPN Radio]] on [[KESN-FM]] in Dallas along with linebacker [[Bradie James]].
He is beloved by his alma mater, [[Eastern Illinois University]], which has few professional athletes. [[Mike Shanahan]], coach of the [[Denver Broncos]], also played quarterback for Eastern Illinois University. In addition to Shanahan, NFL coaches [[Sean Payton]] and [[Brad Childress]] have played for the university. While at Eastern Illinois, Romo was a member of [[Sigma Pi | Sigma Pi Fraternity]]
Although MSNBC News Services has reported that he and singer [[Jessica Simpson]] "are now rumored to be an item",and have been seen at nightclubs together on a regular basis doing the weekdays<ref name="msnbc"> {{cite web
|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15821211/
|title=Dallas QB Romo reportedly dating Simpson
|date=2006-11-21
|accessdate=2006-11-26 }}
</ref> Romo has stated on [[SI.com]] that they are not dating.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/pete_mcentegart/11/30/ten.spot/index.html
| title = The Top Ten Spot
| accessdate = 2006-11-30
| date = [[2005-11-30]]
| work = Pete McEntegart
| publisher = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
}}</ref>
==References==
<references />
==External links==
*[http://www.dallascowboys.com/profile_romo_tony.cfm Tony Romo extended biography]
*[http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/RomoTo00.htm Career stats]
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=Dallas Cowboys starting quarterbacks| before=[[Drew Bledsoe]]| years=2006-| after=''Incumbent''}}
{{succession box | title=[[Walter Payton Award]] winner| before=[[Brian Westbrook]]| years=2002| after=[[Jamal Branch]]}}
{{end box}}
[[Category:1980 births|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Living people|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Eastern Illinois Panthers football players|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Mexican Americans|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Mexican American sportspeople|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:People from Wisconsin|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:People from San Diego|Romo, Tony]]
[[Category:Sigma Pi Brothers|Romo, Tony]]
[[pdc:Tony Romo]]
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