Tony Romo Breaks His Silence After His Arrest and CBS Suspension — Admits to an ‘Over-Reliance on Alcohol’

Screenshot via TMZ Sports

Ex-NFL player CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo admitted to having an alcohol problem in his first public comments since being arrested for drunk driving.

Romo was arrested in late July in Wisconsin. During a traffic stop — which was captured on a police body cam — Romo insisted he had not been drinking alcohol and even expressed a willingness to take a field sobriety test. Shortly after that, however, one officer could be heard telling another that she smelled alcohol coming from the car.

He eventually took the sobriety test but refused a breathalyzer. Romo was later cited for OWI, which is designated as a “traffic violation” in Milwaukee County and not a criminal charge.

CBS Sports placed Romo on leave shortly after the incident.

In a statement released Tuesday, Romo claimed he developed an “over-reliance on alcohol” as a result of the lingering pains from his playing days. The statement read:

This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely.

Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain. That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.

As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility. That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward.

That path requires honesty.

None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.

Romo also confirmed in the statement that he would be returning to the broadcast booth for CBS Sports.

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