{"id":52508,"date":"2026-09-08T11:10:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=52508"},"modified":"2026-09-08T11:10:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:10:35","slug":"tony-romo-turns-to-faith-after-arrest-opens-up-about-alcohol-struggle-i-own-this-completely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/09\/tony-romo-turns-to-faith-after-arrest-opens-up-about-alcohol-struggle-i-own-this-completely.html","title":{"rendered":"Tony Romo Turns to Faith After Arrest, Opens Up About Alcohol Struggle: ‘I Own This Completely’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Kathy Hutchins \/ Shutterstock.com | Inset: Photo Works \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is speaking publicly about his struggle with alcohol following an OWI arrest, saying the experience has forced him to confront his mistakes before God, his family and the public.<\/p>\n

Romo, 46, pleaded no contest Sept. 1 to a first-offense operating while intoxicated charge stemming from his July 23 arrest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The former NFL star and longtime CBS Sports analyst called the incident a “personal failure” in a statement<\/a> posted to Instagram.<\/p>\n

“This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin,” Romo wrote. “I own this completely.”<\/p>\n

Romo then revealed that his problems with alcohol developed after years of dealing with physical pain from his football career.<\/p>\n

“Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain,” he wrote. “That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”<\/p>\n

Romo stressed that his health struggles did not excuse what happened.<\/p>\n

“As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility,” he wrote. “That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward.”<\/p>\n

For Romo, that process has also included his faith.<\/p>\n

“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant,” he wrote, explaining that he has been forced to confront his mistakes “to the Lord, to myself, to my family, and now to the public.”<\/p>\n

Romo said he is now working with a team of doctors to address his health and make changes in his life. He also expressed gratitude for the support he has received from his family, friends and members of the NFL community.<\/p>\n

“Your encouragement has meant more to me than you know,” he wrote.<\/p>\n

The legal consequences include a six-month revocation of Romo’s driving privileges, a $784 forfeiture and completion of an alcohol assessment program. He must also install ignition interlock devices in his vehicles for one year following the reinstatement of his license. Other citations, including unsafe passing and possessing an open intoxicant in a vehicle, were dismissed.<\/p>\n

The incident has also affected Romo’s broadcasting career. CBS Sports placed him on leave following his arrest, with no timetable announced for his return.<\/p>\n

Romo retired from the NFL in 2017 after spending his entire playing career with the Cowboys and transitioned into broadcasting, becoming one of CBS Sports’ highest-profile NFL analysts.<\/p>\n

For now, however, football is taking a back seat.<\/p>\n

Romo said he is asking for privacy as he focuses on “my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS.”<\/p>\n

He ended his message simply: “God bless.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is speaking publicly about his struggle with alcohol following an OWI arrest, saying the experience has forced him to confront his mistakes before God, his family and the public. Romo, 46, pleaded no contest Sept. 1 to a first-offense operating while intoxicated charge stemming from his July 23 arrest…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":52529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nTony Romo Turns to Faith After Arrest, Opens Up About Alcohol Struggle: 'I Own This Completely'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tony Romo opens up about his alcohol struggle after an OWI arrest, saying he is confronting his mistakes before God and his family.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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