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Tony Romo moves into different role: mentor
11:34 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- If you’re looking for the time Tony Romo started to figure out what it took to play quarterback in the NFL, go to 2004.
When he was a rookie in 2003, the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback room was filled with inexperienced quarterbacks. Quincy Carter was the starter and helped the Cowboys to the playoffs, but he was far from a finished product. Chad Hutchinson was just in his second year in pro football after a baseball career and was the backup.
Romo made the team as an undrafted free agent.
By the early part of training camp in 2004, Carter was released, Hutchinson was gone and Vinny Testaverde was the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. Romo and Drew Henson, fresh off his baseball career, were the backups.
Testaverde was entering his 18th season and was one of Bill Parcells’ favorites from their time together with the New York Jets.
Romo became a sponge, soaking up the wisdom Testaverde, who turned 41 during the 2004 season, delivered.
“He was a guy who needed to develop a little more and learn the game, but you could see the ability and the talent was there," Testaverde said. "[He was] a smart kid, always asking questions. We’d sit in the film room together after practice and he’d pick my brain. He’d ask a lot of great questions and you could see that he was interested and willing to do what he could to get on the field.”
Twelve years later, Romo finds himself in the Testaverde role in the Cowboys’ quarterback room. The sponges are Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ fourth-round pick, and Jameill Showers.
For most of Romo’s time as the full-time starter, he had been paired with a veteran backup quarterback -- from Brad Johnson to Jon Kitna to Kyle Orton. It wasn’t until 2014 that the Cowboys went with an inexperienced quarterback with Brandon Weeden.
Now they are as inexperienced at the position as they were in 2004.
"There is so much to the day that you can't possibly learn it all,” Romo said. “Their job is to ask questions, watch tape, learn, get out there and throw the football and work on their technique and fundamentals, work on their thought process. Also, through osmosis, just learn from being around it. These guys really do a great job of that. They are both hard-working guys. They set themselves up for being successful.”
As Romo watched the preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, Prescott was impressive in his debut, completing 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards with two touchdown passes. Showers was not as fortunate to play with some starters, completing eight of 15 passes for 99 yards, but he had a scramble that led to a 47-yard completion to Vince Mayle.
Romo spent the game on the headsets.
“He was into it,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. “I said, ‘Tony, a big part of this is we’ve got these young guys and they’re going to need your presence.’ He was into it, looking through the photos and the video and kind of talking through some of the things that came up and kind of talking about some of the plays that we’re going run and how to look at them. He did a great job of being a leader with those guys in between series.”
The Cowboys’ plan entering training camp was to have Kellen Moore as Romo’s backup, but he broke his fibula in the second padded practice and is likely out until November. The Cowboys flirted with the possibility of signing Nick Foles and had discussions with the Cleveland Browns about Josh McCown.
They could re-visit the position before the season starts, but they are committed to giving Prescott and Showers snaps.
“I couldn’t ask for a better mentor, better leader of the quarterback room,” Prescott said. “He’s an offensive coordinator behind the center basically. The things he talks about in the meetings and he comes out here and puts them on the field each and every day. It’s just great to see.”
Prescott said Romo will quiz the quarterbacks in the film room as they watch the practice film. He seeks their advice and opinions as well. Testaverde did the same thing to him.
Romo is 36. He is in his 14th season and is signed through 2019. He has constantly changed how much longer he is going to play, anywhere from four years to eight years, but he knows his time is closing.
“I mean any time you can pass on your knowledge and help especially good people, guys you see a little bit of yourself in with the work ethic, I think it’s exciting to see them succeed and compete,” Romo said. “I want them to be successful. The hope and goal is for one day to pass that one and let these guys run off and play, Kellen included. Hopefully they can carry on the level of play we want at the quarterback position.”
11:34 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- If you’re looking for the time Tony Romo started to figure out what it took to play quarterback in the NFL, go to 2004.
When he was a rookie in 2003, the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback room was filled with inexperienced quarterbacks. Quincy Carter was the starter and helped the Cowboys to the playoffs, but he was far from a finished product. Chad Hutchinson was just in his second year in pro football after a baseball career and was the backup.
Romo made the team as an undrafted free agent.
By the early part of training camp in 2004, Carter was released, Hutchinson was gone and Vinny Testaverde was the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. Romo and Drew Henson, fresh off his baseball career, were the backups.
Testaverde was entering his 18th season and was one of Bill Parcells’ favorites from their time together with the New York Jets.
Romo became a sponge, soaking up the wisdom Testaverde, who turned 41 during the 2004 season, delivered.
“He was a guy who needed to develop a little more and learn the game, but you could see the ability and the talent was there," Testaverde said. "[He was] a smart kid, always asking questions. We’d sit in the film room together after practice and he’d pick my brain. He’d ask a lot of great questions and you could see that he was interested and willing to do what he could to get on the field.”
Twelve years later, Romo finds himself in the Testaverde role in the Cowboys’ quarterback room. The sponges are Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ fourth-round pick, and Jameill Showers.
For most of Romo’s time as the full-time starter, he had been paired with a veteran backup quarterback -- from Brad Johnson to Jon Kitna to Kyle Orton. It wasn’t until 2014 that the Cowboys went with an inexperienced quarterback with Brandon Weeden.
Now they are as inexperienced at the position as they were in 2004.
"There is so much to the day that you can't possibly learn it all,” Romo said. “Their job is to ask questions, watch tape, learn, get out there and throw the football and work on their technique and fundamentals, work on their thought process. Also, through osmosis, just learn from being around it. These guys really do a great job of that. They are both hard-working guys. They set themselves up for being successful.”
As Romo watched the preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, Prescott was impressive in his debut, completing 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards with two touchdown passes. Showers was not as fortunate to play with some starters, completing eight of 15 passes for 99 yards, but he had a scramble that led to a 47-yard completion to Vince Mayle.
Romo spent the game on the headsets.
“He was into it,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. “I said, ‘Tony, a big part of this is we’ve got these young guys and they’re going to need your presence.’ He was into it, looking through the photos and the video and kind of talking through some of the things that came up and kind of talking about some of the plays that we’re going run and how to look at them. He did a great job of being a leader with those guys in between series.”
The Cowboys’ plan entering training camp was to have Kellen Moore as Romo’s backup, but he broke his fibula in the second padded practice and is likely out until November. The Cowboys flirted with the possibility of signing Nick Foles and had discussions with the Cleveland Browns about Josh McCown.
They could re-visit the position before the season starts, but they are committed to giving Prescott and Showers snaps.
“I couldn’t ask for a better mentor, better leader of the quarterback room,” Prescott said. “He’s an offensive coordinator behind the center basically. The things he talks about in the meetings and he comes out here and puts them on the field each and every day. It’s just great to see.”
Prescott said Romo will quiz the quarterbacks in the film room as they watch the practice film. He seeks their advice and opinions as well. Testaverde did the same thing to him.
Romo is 36. He is in his 14th season and is signed through 2019. He has constantly changed how much longer he is going to play, anywhere from four years to eight years, but he knows his time is closing.
“I mean any time you can pass on your knowledge and help especially good people, guys you see a little bit of yourself in with the work ethic, I think it’s exciting to see them succeed and compete,” Romo said. “I want them to be successful. The hope and goal is for one day to pass that one and let these guys run off and play, Kellen included. Hopefully they can carry on the level of play we want at the quarterback position.”