By Brandon George , Staff Writer Contact Brandon George on Twitter: @DMN_George
IRVING - Tony Romo is actually doing some heavy lifting for a change during a Cowboys offseason.
And that's good news, even for a quarterback who twice broke his collarbone last season and has undergone multiple back surgeries.
Romo is a full participant in the Cowboys offseason for the first time in three years and this week for the first time since Thanksgiving is back leading 11-on-11 work in practices for the start of the club's organized team activities.
The Cowboys aren't practicing in full pads or even tackling, but Romo looked sharp during his first-team repetitions Wednesday at Valley Ranch. He was moving well and accurate with most of his passes.
He's now 11 weeks removed from preventative surgery to protect his left clavicle, which he's fractured three times in his career. The two broken collarbones last season limited Romo to a career-low four games.
Romo, who turned 36 last month, said it was tough for him to sit and watch most of the time last season as the Cowboys went 1-11 without him. Romo said he feels better than he has in the last five years.
"Right now, it's been exciting to be able to do some of the things that I haven't been able to do," Romo said. "Signs of that show on the football field for myself. And they're subtle. It's tough to see from the naked eye. But I do think that my coaches and teammates around me see it."
That's for sure.
Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson is ecstatic about what he's seen from Romo.
"Tony has looked phenomenal. This is the best stretch I've seen him in the spring in a long time," Wilson said. "There are no effects from any of the injuries, he still does a routine to take care of his back, but he's done his full workload out here. He hasn't gotten out of anything.
"He's throwing with a lot of velocity and a lot of accuracy. He missed a lot of the season last year, so he's got a rejuvenated spirit out here and he's really into it and pushing other guys. We're putting in a few new things and it's got him excited."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long said that he believes Romo has another four to five years left in him before he retires. The Cowboys certainly hope that's the case, considering Romo is signed through 2019 and still owed more than $60 million.
Jones has contended that Romo is a young 36 because he didn't become a starting quarterback until three-and-a-half years into his career, midway through 2006.
"As far as the young term, once again, is 32 young? Is 22 young? I don't know. Obviously I'm not in my mid-20s anymore, but I do think that based on what my situation has been like the last three or four years I do think that this is drastically different," Romo said. "It started to show signs last offseason and this [offseason] is different. It takes me back five years ago when I was able to do things [a certain] way. I'm not there yet, but it's exciting to be able to actually get after it a little bit."
Romo said he "absolutely" believes he can play another four to five years. He even joked that maybe he can last seven or eight more years.
"With the way that it's going right now, the running joke is that I'm the only one in here getting younger each year," Romo said, "so we'll see if that continues."
Romo still isn't playing golf these days, but he has picked up racquetball. He can sometimes be found playing racquetball at Valley Ranch. He'll often even play left-handed.
"He's playing racquetball and doing a lot of competitive things and exercises he hasn't done over the last few years," Wilson said. "He wanted to do it himself. It's a way to get explosive movements, doing some different things and doing it in a competitive environment. He likes to do that. Just the fact that he can do that it's helping him. He uses both hands, which is crazy, phenomenal to me. He just looks quicker and more athletic than he has."
That's also beneficial considering that in a few weeks Romo and his family will move into his new home in North Dallas that's been under construction the last few years.
But don't expect Romo to be lifting any bulky furniture.
He'll save his heavy lifting for the practice field.
"If everything keeps going the way it's going," Romo said, "I think it's going to be exciting going into camp."
IRVING - Tony Romo is actually doing some heavy lifting for a change during a Cowboys offseason.
And that's good news, even for a quarterback who twice broke his collarbone last season and has undergone multiple back surgeries.
Romo is a full participant in the Cowboys offseason for the first time in three years and this week for the first time since Thanksgiving is back leading 11-on-11 work in practices for the start of the club's organized team activities.
The Cowboys aren't practicing in full pads or even tackling, but Romo looked sharp during his first-team repetitions Wednesday at Valley Ranch. He was moving well and accurate with most of his passes.
He's now 11 weeks removed from preventative surgery to protect his left clavicle, which he's fractured three times in his career. The two broken collarbones last season limited Romo to a career-low four games.
Romo, who turned 36 last month, said it was tough for him to sit and watch most of the time last season as the Cowboys went 1-11 without him. Romo said he feels better than he has in the last five years.
"Right now, it's been exciting to be able to do some of the things that I haven't been able to do," Romo said. "Signs of that show on the football field for myself. And they're subtle. It's tough to see from the naked eye. But I do think that my coaches and teammates around me see it."
That's for sure.
Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson is ecstatic about what he's seen from Romo.
"Tony has looked phenomenal. This is the best stretch I've seen him in the spring in a long time," Wilson said. "There are no effects from any of the injuries, he still does a routine to take care of his back, but he's done his full workload out here. He hasn't gotten out of anything.
"He's throwing with a lot of velocity and a lot of accuracy. He missed a lot of the season last year, so he's got a rejuvenated spirit out here and he's really into it and pushing other guys. We're putting in a few new things and it's got him excited."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long said that he believes Romo has another four to five years left in him before he retires. The Cowboys certainly hope that's the case, considering Romo is signed through 2019 and still owed more than $60 million.
Jones has contended that Romo is a young 36 because he didn't become a starting quarterback until three-and-a-half years into his career, midway through 2006.
"As far as the young term, once again, is 32 young? Is 22 young? I don't know. Obviously I'm not in my mid-20s anymore, but I do think that based on what my situation has been like the last three or four years I do think that this is drastically different," Romo said. "It started to show signs last offseason and this [offseason] is different. It takes me back five years ago when I was able to do things [a certain] way. I'm not there yet, but it's exciting to be able to actually get after it a little bit."
Romo said he "absolutely" believes he can play another four to five years. He even joked that maybe he can last seven or eight more years.
"With the way that it's going right now, the running joke is that I'm the only one in here getting younger each year," Romo said, "so we'll see if that continues."
Romo still isn't playing golf these days, but he has picked up racquetball. He can sometimes be found playing racquetball at Valley Ranch. He'll often even play left-handed.
"He's playing racquetball and doing a lot of competitive things and exercises he hasn't done over the last few years," Wilson said. "He wanted to do it himself. It's a way to get explosive movements, doing some different things and doing it in a competitive environment. He likes to do that. Just the fact that he can do that it's helping him. He uses both hands, which is crazy, phenomenal to me. He just looks quicker and more athletic than he has."
That's also beneficial considering that in a few weeks Romo and his family will move into his new home in North Dallas that's been under construction the last few years.
But don't expect Romo to be lifting any bulky furniture.
He'll save his heavy lifting for the practice field.
"If everything keeps going the way it's going," Romo said, "I think it's going to be exciting going into camp."
