Cowboys, Tony Romo agree to six-year, $108 million deal

Tony Romo out of OTAs after surgery to remove back cyst

(Photo: Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights Romo’s guaranteed money exceeds what Joe Flacco received from Ravens Dallas also gave its quarterback a $25 million signing bonus Cowboys now have needed flexibility under salary cap but still don’t plan make another major signing SHARE 4581 CONNECT 104 TWEET 75 COMMENTEMAILMORE Tony Romo’s security as the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback is now etched in money. The team and its star player struck a six-year, $108 million contract extension Friday $55 million is guaranteed that answers any questions as to whether the franchise would stick behind its much-scrutinized signal caller. “Absolutely, we feel that we can win a championship with Tony,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told USA TODAY Sports, while also confirming details of the contract, which takes effect in 2014 and is scheduled to run through 2019. “We wouldn’t be doing all of this if we didn’t think we could win with him.” Romo, who will turn 33 next month, received a $25 million signing bonus. Set to earn a base salary of $11.5 million for 2013, Romo was scheduled to carry a $16.8 million salary cap number for this year. But the re-worked contract lowered his cap number for the upcoming season by $5 million. “Tony has always considered himself a Cowboy for life,” Romo’s agent, R.J. Gonser, told USA TODAY Sports. “Now it’s a reality.” And at a high price. The wow factor with Romo’s megapact the new money averages $18 million per year compared to an $11.25 million average salary in the previous contract is that the guaranteed portion exceeds the $52 million in guarantees that Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco secured from the Baltimore Ravens with his six-year, $120.6 million record contract earlier this month.

Romo’s 4th quarter failures compared to LeBron

4. Camp coverage on NFL Network Watch “Inside Training Camp” this week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network . Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told a local radio station Friday that his starting quarterback is likely to stay in bubble wrap in Canton, Ohio. “It’s one of those deals where I suppose he could play five plays or whatever, but we might lean to no plays,” Garrett told KRLD-FM. “But the clock starts on our ‘1’s’ in Week 2 of the preseason. So (Week 1 is) not going to be Tony’s game.” The Cowboys have the benefit (if you see it that way) of playing five preseason contests, meaning Romo has plenty of time to develop chemistry with his targets. He has been full-go in training camp and looked sharp Friday , completing 21 of 32 passes in 7-on-7 drills, per ESPNDallas.com.

Tony Romo confirms he wants to play

The quarterback, the focus of great expectations by owner Jerry Jones , underwent minor surgery last month in which a cyst was removed from his back. He believes that hell be ready for minicamp next month and hes certain hell be ready for training camp and the regular-season opener. If this was the regular season and I had to play next week, I could, Romo said ( via the Dallas Morning News David Moore). This is just about being smart.Thats why I did it now. This will have no effect on training camp. No way will it have an impact. And I still think theres a good chance Im on the field for mini-camp. Tony Romo expects to be ready for training camp and the regular-season opener. (Tony Gutierrez / AP) Romo is expected to address the media today, marking his first public comments since becoming the highest-paid player in Cowboys history with a six-year, $108-million contract extension. Getting rid of the expectations that come with that contract might not be as easily dispatched as that cyst, which was removed in an outpatient procedure just before the NFL draft. It was a pretty routine afternoon, Romo said of the procedure.

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“Saying that, I still want to play every time I suit up. Every time I step out there — your juices are flowing and you want to compete. From that perspective, yeah, but whatever the coaches want.” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Saturday that no official discussions regarding playing time for any of the regulars have happened, and a final decision would be made this week. Romo played one series (13 plays) in the 2010 Hall of Fame Game against Cincinnati. Romo did not take any snaps in the offseason because of surgery to remove a cyst from his back in April. He was only cleared for full action in mid-June. The Cowboys are monitoring his throws in practice, but Romo has not missed a day of work and said his back is fine. “It would be the same if you asked me if there was soreness in my legs,” Romo said when asked if his back was sore. “It’s just part of being in camp.”

Tony Romo Had Cyst Removed From Back: Cowboys QB To Miss Workouts After Surgery In April

(David J. Phillip / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat, of France, perform during a practice session for the World Figure Skating Championships, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in London, Ontario. (Darron Cummings / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim, of the United States, react as they watch their scores during the pairs free program at the World Figure Skating Championships Friday, March 15, 2013, in London, Ontario. (Darron Cummings / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos St. Louis Cardinals’ J.R. Towles (46) reacts after fouling a ball off his foot as New York Yankees catcher Chris Stewart watches in the third inning of a spring training baseball game in Tampa, Fla., Monday, March 11, 2013. (Kathy Willens / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos Auburn forward Cabriana Capers (35) crashes into the scorer’s table after saving the ball from going out of bounds during the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against LSU in the Southeastern Conference tournament, Thursday, March 7, 2013, in Duluth, Ga. LSU won 65-62. (John Bazemore / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah (13) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan, right, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay / AP) Best 2013 Sports Photos Athletes start the New Zealand Ironman on March 2, 2013 in Taupo, New Zealand.

Jason Garrett: Tony Romo unlikely to play in HOF Game

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is getting fried by TV/media critics for his two late-game turnovers against the New York Jets Sunday night. To rub salt in the wound, Romo’s history of 4th quarter collapses are being compared to that of LeBron James. During NBC’s telecast of Cowboys-Jets, the network’s Cris Collinsworth and Tony Dungy were merciless on Romo who played well for most of the game. “Tony Romo told us repeatedly that he cannot make the big mistakes,” said Collinsworth. “And they were his mistakes coming down the stretch — the fumble, the interception — that really turned the tide.” Dungy said there was “no excuse” for Romo throwing a killer pick to a covered Dez Bryant. “You have to throw the ball away.” On Monday, the Romo haters were out in full force on TV and the Internet where his name was trending all over Twitter. Romo keeps making “the same killer mistakes,” said Jemele Hill on ESPN2’s First Take. Like Dungy, Jon Ritchie of ESPN blasted Romo’s 4th-quarter pick to “walking” Bryant. He noted Romo is 1-6 in his last 7 games; 1-3 in the NFL playoffs. “It’s always something with Tony Romo.” ESPN’s Jim Rome tweeted: “The Cowboys will never get where they need to go until Tony Romo stops being Tony Romo.” And Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network tweeted: “Just filed my Week One column for NFL.com touching on all the really good, the really bad- Cam Newton–really good, Tony Romo really bad.” Then there were the comparisons to the Frozen One’s 4th-quarter disappearing act for the Miami Heat against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

Why Tony Romo Will Lead the Dallas Cowboys to Super Bowl XLVIII

Backup Kyle Orton won six of his last 27 starts in Denver before he was benched for Tim Tebow in 2011. Dallas only had $51,005 of cap room before Romos new deal. The contract gives the Cowboys $5 million of much needed cap relief immediately by lowering Romos 2013 cap number from his $16,818,835 to $11,818,835. Addressing Romos contract situation should have been one of the Cowboys first offseason moves considering the severe cap problems theyve been facing. Dallas restructured multiple contracts in order to be compliant with the cap on March 12 when the 2013 league year started. Better timing with Romos deal could have given the Cowboys more flexibility regarding restructuring contracts and the option to enter the free agent market sooner. Dallas was the next to last team to sign a player in free agency. The Cowboys cap issues practically ensure that Romos contract will be restructured after the 2013 season. Dallas already has $145.9 million of cap obligations in 2014 while his $21.773 million 2014 cap number is the NFLs highest next year.

Tony Romo Contract: Inside Cowboys QB’s New Deal

Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff (hamstring) has yet to practice. Defensive end Anthony Spencer may not play in any pre-season games as he recovers from a scope on his left knee. But the most devastating blow is the loss of Crawford for the season with a torn Achilles. Crawford gave the group depth and flexibility. He was going to be the first replacement at end. He was going to help inside when Ratliff came out. Hes the teams insurance policy going forward if they are unable to sign Spencer or decide Ratliffs decline is irreversible and decide to part ways with the former Pro Bowl tackle. Crawfords injury has opened the door for Ben Bass to contribute, and hes responded so far. Kyle Wilber, struggling to make the transition from outside linebacker in a 3-4 to defensive end in this scheme, is starting to come on. Hes done a heck of a lot better in the last 48 hours coming off the football, head coach Jason Garrett said of last years fourth round pick out of Wake Forest.

That is a bold, but possible statement. Super Bowl teams have things go their way. That Week 6 loss for the Cowboys was a Week 6 win for the Baltimore Ravens . The Ravens were also on the right side of games with a last second one-point win over the Patriots , a three-point win over the Steelers , an overtime win over the Chargers and the double-overtime thriller in the playoffs against the Broncos . The Ravens had everything go their way. The Ravens also were aided by a championship-caliber defense. Imagine if Romo was the quarterback of that team? Would he have won a Super Bowl instead of Flacco? Now in 2013, the defense will be better for Romo’s Cowboys. The team is making the switch to the 4-3, a formation that will be key to the success this season. DeMarcus Ware will have his best year yet and will thrive in the new formation.