Tony Romo retired from football after 14 seasons leading the Dallas Cowboys, but that didn’t mean he was leaving the field behind. Instead, he traded in his pads and helmet for a headset, and has since embarked on a hugely successful career as a football commentator at CBS alongside Jim Nantz. Although he’s no longer playing, he continues to put his decades of football knowledge to work in the broadcast booth, and he’s earned a reputation as an insightful, entertaining presence on the air. We recently caught up with him to learn more about what his day-to-day life is like, and it’s clear he still has a deep love for the game. Looking back on his playing days, the unique challenges of each game were some of the most thrilling parts of his career.
“Just having the opportunity to overcome difficult situations is really a gift,” he tells Men’s Journal.
Of course, he’s also happy to leave the grind of an NFL season behind. As you might expect, it’s tough on the body. Even off the field, though, Romo is still working to stay in shape. He’s an avid golfer, and being a dad to three boys is a physically demanding job. He’s undergone multiple back surgeries over the years, and these days staying fit means paying special attention to the health of his spine.
“I call it ‘elongate and activate,’ ” he says. “If I’m going to be active at all, I have to get things stretched out.”
We also talked with him about his must-have gear (he’s a proud hat guy, even if the habit might make him bald eventually), and his eating routine. Thanks to his wife, he’s well-fed and healthy.
“She does a great job of making me a clean eater,” he says.
In addition, Romo gave us some some insight into how he found his way to the broadcast booth. In his younger days, he never really thought much beyond playing football. But after having back surgery in 2013, he realized his football career wouldn’t last forever. That led him to consider commentating, and eventually to CBS.
“I loved the game and wanted to stay around it,” he says. “I went with it and I’m so glad I did.”
Now he’s sharing his football wisdom with the rest of us, including through the Tostitos “Romo in Your Ear” campaign. Lucky football novices will have the chance to win an earpiece to wear during an NFL game this season, and Romo himself will chime in with knowledge, commentary, and “football-y stuff to say” to help them impress their football-obsessed friends.
Want to learn more about this football legend? Check out our full conversation with Romo in the video above.
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