- Messages
- 4,604
- Reaction score
- 2
Cowboys' Tony Romo recalls first preseason game while mentoring young quarterbacks
By Kate Hairopoulos
OXNARD, Calif. -- Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott is going to make mistakes in Saturday's preseason game at the Los Angeles Rams. Veteran starter Tony Romo can vouch for that.
"You're going to be nervous," Romo said of Prescott. "But that's normal. Accept all the things that come with it. You are going to make a mistake here or there. Your job is to understand that happens and go on to the next play."
Romo can remember his first preseason experience, all right.
It was August 9, 2003. The Bill Parcells era was beginning in Dallas. As a rookie free agent out of Eastern Illinois, Romo got to take the field in a game against Arizona.
"I can remember Parcells meeting me at about the 30 when I made a mistake," Romo said. "I came in against the Cardinals in the fourth quarter. We hadn't done much offensively in that game. I had a shovel pass that hit off one of the refs, I believe, and got intercepted. I don't think he liked that at the time."
All positive encouragement from the fiery coach, right?
"Yeah, he told me don't worry about it and move on to the next play," Romo laughed after training camp practice on Wednesday.
Reports from 2003 show Romo's 4 of 8 performance for 51 yards in the 13-0 Cowboys' loss - including the interception at the Arizona 6 - actually inspired hope among Cowboys fans. Dallas was trying to decide on a starter between Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. Clint Stoerner was in the mix.
More than halfway through Romo's 14th training camp, maybe there's motivation in there for Prescott and reserve Jameill Showers.
Romo kept grinding and went on to take over the starting job in 2006.
The situation is different for Prescott in that he is getting opportunities to run with the first team when Romo inserts off days into training camp and likely during the preseason schedule while the Cowboys protect Romo's health. Backup Kellen Moore broke his right ankle during practice last week, which has accelerated the learning curve for Prescott and Showers while the Cowboys mull over adding a veteran backup.
Romo said he got first-team snaps during the preseason of his first season, but they didn't come around again soon.
"I didn't exactly perform up to the standard I think that we wanted," he said of his chance then. "That was my last chance for a year and a half. It goes to show you don't get too many opportunities to really show the staff and the organization if you're ready and prepared. So you really have to take advantage of that and have to be at your best all the time."
By Kate Hairopoulos
OXNARD, Calif. -- Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott is going to make mistakes in Saturday's preseason game at the Los Angeles Rams. Veteran starter Tony Romo can vouch for that.
"You're going to be nervous," Romo said of Prescott. "But that's normal. Accept all the things that come with it. You are going to make a mistake here or there. Your job is to understand that happens and go on to the next play."
Romo can remember his first preseason experience, all right.
It was August 9, 2003. The Bill Parcells era was beginning in Dallas. As a rookie free agent out of Eastern Illinois, Romo got to take the field in a game against Arizona.
"I can remember Parcells meeting me at about the 30 when I made a mistake," Romo said. "I came in against the Cardinals in the fourth quarter. We hadn't done much offensively in that game. I had a shovel pass that hit off one of the refs, I believe, and got intercepted. I don't think he liked that at the time."
All positive encouragement from the fiery coach, right?
"Yeah, he told me don't worry about it and move on to the next play," Romo laughed after training camp practice on Wednesday.
Reports from 2003 show Romo's 4 of 8 performance for 51 yards in the 13-0 Cowboys' loss - including the interception at the Arizona 6 - actually inspired hope among Cowboys fans. Dallas was trying to decide on a starter between Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. Clint Stoerner was in the mix.
More than halfway through Romo's 14th training camp, maybe there's motivation in there for Prescott and reserve Jameill Showers.
Romo kept grinding and went on to take over the starting job in 2006.
The situation is different for Prescott in that he is getting opportunities to run with the first team when Romo inserts off days into training camp and likely during the preseason schedule while the Cowboys protect Romo's health. Backup Kellen Moore broke his right ankle during practice last week, which has accelerated the learning curve for Prescott and Showers while the Cowboys mull over adding a veteran backup.
Romo said he got first-team snaps during the preseason of his first season, but they didn't come around again soon.
"I didn't exactly perform up to the standard I think that we wanted," he said of his chance then. "That was my last chance for a year and a half. It goes to show you don't get too many opportunities to really show the staff and the organization if you're ready and prepared. So you really have to take advantage of that and have to be at your best all the time."