MILWAUKEE – Body camera footage released this week shows former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS Sports NFL analyst Tony Romo during his arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated last week, with the star repeatedly questioning the stop and citing back surgeries as the reason for struggling with field sobriety tests.
Romo, 46, a Wisconsin native, was pulled over by a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputy on Interstate 43 shortly after 6 p.m. on July 23 while driving a black Jeep. Authorities said he was stopped for an unsafe lane change and improper passing. The deputy noted Romo’s “red, glassy eyes” and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath.
In the newly released bodycam video, Romo tells the female officer he was coming from a golf tournament, the Wisconsin Amateur Championship in West Bend, and was on his way to see his “Grandma and Grandpa.”
“Because I’m coming from a golf course, you think I’m drunk?” Romo can be heard asking.
The footage shows Romo initially remaining in the vehicle and requesting to speak with his lawyer before exiting. Once out, he placed his phone on the back of the Jeep to record the encounter. Deputies later transported him to a more controlled area at the Milwaukee County Jail for standardized field sobriety tests due to traffic and safety concerns on the highway.
During the tests, Romo appeared to have difficulty following instructions. He told officers he was having problems because of two prior back surgeries. At one point, he asked if he had passed the tests. When asked to submit to a breath test, Romo declined, saying he had been advised by lawyers never to take one.
Romo was booked on a first-offense operating while intoxicated charge and cited for refusing the intoxication test. He was released the same night. His court date is scheduled for September 21.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office released the bodycam videos after a public records request. Multiple angles capture the traffic stop, the roadside interaction, and the sobriety testing process inside a sallyport area.
Romo spent 14 seasons with the Cowboys and has become one of the most prominent voices in NFL broadcasting since retiring. The incident marks a rare public legal issue for the longtime quarterback and analyst.
Authorities have not released blood-alcohol results, and Romo has not issued a public statement on the matter as of the latest reports. The case remains pending.
