From undrafted to elite: Romo signs $67.5m deal
Wearing jeans and an untucked Dallas Cowboys golf shirt, Tony Romo treated yesterday as if it were any other day of work. Well, there were a few differences. Such as the fact he brought his mother and father to team headquarters.
And the six-year, $67.5 million contract he showed up to sign.
On one of the biggest days of his life, Romo remained the average guy he's been since joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent five years ago. He said he was humbled by the $11.5 million signing bonus and by cementing a spot in the lineage of Don Meredith-to-Roger Staubach-to-Troy Aikman, but he also insisted the only thing that's going to change is his tax bracket.
Want proof? He's even planning to keep his apartment - and his roommate - despite having the third-highest annual salary among NFL quarterbacks.
"I never really thought this was a goal along the way. I still don't necessarily perceive it as a goal, but it's something really neat that I get to experience," Romo said.
Romo gave much thought to what the big contract means.
"This sets you up financially and does all the things that you somewhat hoped for in life, but you don't set it out as a goal when you start out as a football player," he said.
Bills turn back to Losman
The Bills announced quarterback Trent Edwards needs time to recover from a sprained right wrist, so J.P. Losman will start Sunday against Cincinnati . . . The Texans signed Craig Nall to add depth at quarterback with Matt Schaub ailing after helmet-to-helmet hits in consecutive games . . . The Raiders waived wide receiver Mike Williams, the second team in six months to cut ties with the 10th pick of the 2005 draft . . . Green Bay's leading rusher, rookie DeShawn Wynn, is out for the season with a shoulder injury sustained in the Packers' 19-13 overtime victory at Denver Monday . . . Washington cornerback Carlos Rogers, who tore two ligaments in his right knee in the Redskins' 52-7 loss to the Patriots Sunday, was placed on injured reserve . . . Garrett Reid, the oldest son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, was taken into custody again after failing a drug test, Montgomery County (Pa.) prosecutors said. Reid, 24, was required to submit to random tests while awaiting sentencing on drug charges . . . Sam Dana, who was the oldest living former NFL player and who once played football alongside Lou Gehrig at Columbia, died in his sleep Monday in Buffalo. He was 104.
