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Jerry Jones: Cowboys QB Tony Romo might be cleared to play vs. Eagles
Cowboys owner: 'There is nothing structurally that will rule him out if he feels good and is cleared to play'
By DAVID MOORE Staff Writer
Published: 23 December 2013 10:58 PM
Updated: 24 December 2013 12:40 AM
IRVING — Jason Garrett stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the Cowboys are likely to play the most important game of their season without quarterback Tony Romo.
Owner Jerry Jones isn’t ready to give up hope, either.
“All I’m saying is he has back spasms, symptoms that we’re treating as we go along in the week to see if he will play,” Jones said late Monday evening. “There is nothing structurally that will rule him out if he feels good and is cleared to play. Nothing.”
The Cowboys end the regular season Sunday night against Philadelphia. A victory would give the team the NFC East title and end a three-year playoff drought.
Garrett insists the club will evaluate Romo on a day-to-day basis despite national media reports that an MRI revealed the quarterback has a herniated disk that could require surgery. Garrett and Jones were purposely vague in response to questions about a herniated disk.
“The facts are there is a lot we can’t comment on,” Jones said. “But the most important thing is if he feels better as the week goes along, there is nothing structurally to prevent him from playing. He might be cleared to play.”
As for the possibility of surgery down the road, Jones said, “as far as what we’re seeing right now, what we do in the future we don’t know.”
Garrett has not been forthcoming with injury information during his tenure as head coach because he believes it puts the Cowboys at a competitive disadvantage. He’s not about to change his stance leading into Sunday’s showdown, which raises the question of whether or not there is an element of gamesmanship here.
Kyle Orton is the only other quarterback on the roster and would start in Romo’s absence. Garrett’s admission that the Cowboys will look to sign another quarterback — three are lined up to work out at Valley Ranch on Tuesday — is a clear signal that Romo’s availability is in serious doubt.
“It’s the next-man-up philosophy,” Garrett said of the possibility that Orton will start his first game in nearly two years. “That’s alive and well in our organization. We try as best we can in our organization to make sure we can absorb different injuries at all positions and put our roster together in such a way that if something does happen to one of our players we can put the next guy in and be a team that can function successfully.
“Kyle has played in this league for a long time. He has started a lot of games. Guys have a lot of confidence in him. He has a lot of confidence in himself. He has won a lot of games in this league. We feel awfully good about that situation if Tony is not available.
“Again, we will evaluate it day by day.”
For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys are going into the regular season finale with a chance to make the playoffs. They lost their finales the last two seasons with a healthy Romo.
The team’s chances of clearing that hurdle without him are diminished. Orton has a 35-34 record as a starter in his 10 NFL seasons. He has never started a regular season game for the Cowboys.
“Obviously, Tony is a big part of everything we try to do as a football team and an offense,” tight end Jason Witten said. “He’s been pretty resilient, and I know he’ll do everything he can to get back.
“But Kyle has played at a high level and had a lot of success in the league. He’s somebody we respect.”
Dr. Drew Dossett, an orthopedic surgeon, removed a cyst from Romo’s back in April that kept him from taking part in practice during the team’s off-season program. The quarterback has consistently referred to it as a minor procedure.
Garrett said Monday “we don’t think there is any connection between” the removal of the cyst and the current injury.
There are different degrees of severity to a herniated disk. If the tear in the outer ring is minor, the player can return with rest. If surgery is required, the rehabilitation period could be three to four months.
Romo aggravated his back when twisting to avoid a pass rush and throwing a completion to Miles Austin early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s comeback victory over Washington. He did not come out and afterward said his back actually began to hurt earlier in the game after a hit.
Jones said after the 24-23 victory that Romo’s back bothered him in practice the week leading up to the Washington game. Romo said while the back did hurt in the days leading up to the game, he did not believe there was a problem.
Romo was not listed on the injury report NFL teams are required to release.
“He practiced all week last week, took every snap like he typically does leading up to a ballgame,” Garrett said. “It never got to the point that we were taking him out of anything.”
Romo is 63-45 as the team’s starting quarterback since taking over midway through the 2006 season. The team is 6-7 in games he’s missed because of injury.
The Cowboys have been forced to deal with injuries to significant players, especially on defense, all season. Garrett was asked how he would deal with the emotional haymaker of losing Romo before the team’s game with the Eagles.
“We’ve dealt with injuries all year long, just like everyone has,” Garrett said. “We literally have dozens and dozens of examples on our football team of younger guys stepping in and playing.
“The emotional part is, you’re a pro. You’ve got to be ready to go do it. The guys around you have to continue to do their job, and you go forward.”
Garrett conceded that the club will sign another quarterback because you can’t go through practice with just one. David Carr, Tyler Thigpen and John Skelton are scheduled to work out at Valley Ranch Tuesday.
Garrett made it clear the Cowboys haven’t ruled Romo out. The quarterback told Jones Monday evening he was starting to feel better.
But for now, the Cowboys must proceed as if Romo won’t play Sunday.
“I hope not, obviously,” Witten said. “But we’ll just wait and see.”
---------------
Whew.
Dr. Jerry has spoken.
Feel better?
Cowboys owner: 'There is nothing structurally that will rule him out if he feels good and is cleared to play'
By DAVID MOORE Staff Writer
Published: 23 December 2013 10:58 PM
Updated: 24 December 2013 12:40 AM
IRVING — Jason Garrett stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the Cowboys are likely to play the most important game of their season without quarterback Tony Romo.
Owner Jerry Jones isn’t ready to give up hope, either.
“All I’m saying is he has back spasms, symptoms that we’re treating as we go along in the week to see if he will play,” Jones said late Monday evening. “There is nothing structurally that will rule him out if he feels good and is cleared to play. Nothing.”
The Cowboys end the regular season Sunday night against Philadelphia. A victory would give the team the NFC East title and end a three-year playoff drought.
Garrett insists the club will evaluate Romo on a day-to-day basis despite national media reports that an MRI revealed the quarterback has a herniated disk that could require surgery. Garrett and Jones were purposely vague in response to questions about a herniated disk.
“The facts are there is a lot we can’t comment on,” Jones said. “But the most important thing is if he feels better as the week goes along, there is nothing structurally to prevent him from playing. He might be cleared to play.”
As for the possibility of surgery down the road, Jones said, “as far as what we’re seeing right now, what we do in the future we don’t know.”
Garrett has not been forthcoming with injury information during his tenure as head coach because he believes it puts the Cowboys at a competitive disadvantage. He’s not about to change his stance leading into Sunday’s showdown, which raises the question of whether or not there is an element of gamesmanship here.
Kyle Orton is the only other quarterback on the roster and would start in Romo’s absence. Garrett’s admission that the Cowboys will look to sign another quarterback — three are lined up to work out at Valley Ranch on Tuesday — is a clear signal that Romo’s availability is in serious doubt.
“It’s the next-man-up philosophy,” Garrett said of the possibility that Orton will start his first game in nearly two years. “That’s alive and well in our organization. We try as best we can in our organization to make sure we can absorb different injuries at all positions and put our roster together in such a way that if something does happen to one of our players we can put the next guy in and be a team that can function successfully.
“Kyle has played in this league for a long time. He has started a lot of games. Guys have a lot of confidence in him. He has a lot of confidence in himself. He has won a lot of games in this league. We feel awfully good about that situation if Tony is not available.
“Again, we will evaluate it day by day.”
For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys are going into the regular season finale with a chance to make the playoffs. They lost their finales the last two seasons with a healthy Romo.
The team’s chances of clearing that hurdle without him are diminished. Orton has a 35-34 record as a starter in his 10 NFL seasons. He has never started a regular season game for the Cowboys.
“Obviously, Tony is a big part of everything we try to do as a football team and an offense,” tight end Jason Witten said. “He’s been pretty resilient, and I know he’ll do everything he can to get back.
“But Kyle has played at a high level and had a lot of success in the league. He’s somebody we respect.”
Dr. Drew Dossett, an orthopedic surgeon, removed a cyst from Romo’s back in April that kept him from taking part in practice during the team’s off-season program. The quarterback has consistently referred to it as a minor procedure.
Garrett said Monday “we don’t think there is any connection between” the removal of the cyst and the current injury.
There are different degrees of severity to a herniated disk. If the tear in the outer ring is minor, the player can return with rest. If surgery is required, the rehabilitation period could be three to four months.
Romo aggravated his back when twisting to avoid a pass rush and throwing a completion to Miles Austin early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s comeback victory over Washington. He did not come out and afterward said his back actually began to hurt earlier in the game after a hit.
Jones said after the 24-23 victory that Romo’s back bothered him in practice the week leading up to the Washington game. Romo said while the back did hurt in the days leading up to the game, he did not believe there was a problem.
Romo was not listed on the injury report NFL teams are required to release.
“He practiced all week last week, took every snap like he typically does leading up to a ballgame,” Garrett said. “It never got to the point that we were taking him out of anything.”
Romo is 63-45 as the team’s starting quarterback since taking over midway through the 2006 season. The team is 6-7 in games he’s missed because of injury.
The Cowboys have been forced to deal with injuries to significant players, especially on defense, all season. Garrett was asked how he would deal with the emotional haymaker of losing Romo before the team’s game with the Eagles.
“We’ve dealt with injuries all year long, just like everyone has,” Garrett said. “We literally have dozens and dozens of examples on our football team of younger guys stepping in and playing.
“The emotional part is, you’re a pro. You’ve got to be ready to go do it. The guys around you have to continue to do their job, and you go forward.”
Garrett conceded that the club will sign another quarterback because you can’t go through practice with just one. David Carr, Tyler Thigpen and John Skelton are scheduled to work out at Valley Ranch Tuesday.
Garrett made it clear the Cowboys haven’t ruled Romo out. The quarterback told Jones Monday evening he was starting to feel better.
But for now, the Cowboys must proceed as if Romo won’t play Sunday.
“I hope not, obviously,” Witten said. “But we’ll just wait and see.”
---------------
Whew.
Dr. Jerry has spoken.
Feel better?
