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Tony Romo is easily the best play-by-play guy to listen to during sports broadcasts. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback may have been good on the field, but he’s proven to be even better in the booth, using his knowledge of the game to bring in-depth coverage of football games he’s calling for viewers to understand.
As most of us know, Romo sort of shocked everyone when, during last season’s AFC Championship Game, he predicted a bunch of plays based off of calls at the line of scrimmage, sending the Internet into a frenzy with how well he knew what was coming. To say it was impressive would be an understatement.
With Tony Romo ready for another NFL season, I sat down with him to talk about what he thinks will happen, get his thoughts on the current state of the Dallas Cowboys, who his under-the-radar teams might be and, of course, how we can get even more of his football knowledge by calling him on the Corona Extra Gameday Hotline operator at 1-844-9-CORONA — which is a dope feature worth trying out if you’re a football junkie.
First Thing’s First: Can You Predict The First Question I’m Asking?
“(laughs) No, but, I’ve got a feeling you’ve got something about Zeke, right?”
Joking Aside, How The Hell Did You Predict Those All Those Plays During Last Year’s AFC Title Game?
“Yeah, I don’t know. I think, sometimes, when you do something your whole life, you just know it so well that, as a quarterback, you just know circumstances, possibilities and situational football.
“You notice where guys are aligned, the mannerisms of people, the systems around the offensive line and then, you know, just throw out what you see, I guess.”
Any Other Tricks Up Your Sleeve For Fans To Expect This Upcoming Season?
“Not that I can think of, since they usually just come to me right in the moment. So I don’t think there are any specific tricks.”
What Similarities Are There Between Announcing Games And Being An NFL Quarterback?
“For both of them, you have a love for the game, and, if you really enjoy it, it’ll really show to your teammates, fans and the people watching on TV. And then, just the strategic side, it’s pretty similar in terms of just trying to figure it all out. Specifically, the adjustments for each team, and then trying to articulate that to viewers instead of just myself.”
Are You Watching A Bunch Of Film?
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a little different than when I was playing, because I was just watching the defense all week (while I was playing). As an announcer, I’m watching the offense and defense of both teams, and the special teams, so it’s a little bit different. But, time wise, oh yeah, I’m always watching a ton of film.”
As A Former Cowboys QB, Do You Think Dak Prescott’s Worth What He’s Asking From The Team?
“As an ownership, you have to allocate your resources to your football team when it comes to your salary cap. In other words, there’s a percentage that you give to position groups that allow you to win football games. So, whatever that position percentage is — one team might be 10 percent, another is 15, and another might be 20 percent at quarterback — that’s what you want to fit that percentage into.
“So, whatever the Cowboys have that percentage at, that’ll roughly be where it ends up for Dak.”
How About Ezekiel Elliott? How Do You See That Situation Playing Out?
“They’re gonna get a deal done; Stephen and Jerry (Jones) have done this a long time, so I don’t expect that to change here. It’s just a matter of if it’ll happen before the regular season or during it.”
Your Good Buddy, Jason Witten, Returned To The Field After A Year In The Booth: Have You Ever Gotten The Urge?
“You always love the game, and there’s going to be that passion every time you step on the field, but, for me, I’ve been really lucky and fortunate enough to have my life go in the direction it has after retiring.
“You know, I’ve got a great family, three boys, I love broadcasting and I enjoy the time to competitively play golf, so it’s a pretty simple life. I enjoy being a dad, talking football and hitting a golf ball.”
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OK, You’ve Got The First Pick In Your Fantasy Draft, Who Are You Taking And Why?
“Man, that’s a really good question… I think Saquon Barkley has to be up there. Add in Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara, too, because those are the three guys who really stand out to me. They’re going to be there throughout the entire year.
“I’d add in Zeke, too, as long as he’s there for all 16 games.”
Now I Know You’re Back As The Operator Of The Corona Extra Gameday Hotline Again This Year, That Comes With Responsibility, Doesn’t It?
“Yeah, I love it. I’ve got a great partnership with Corona, and being the operator is really fun. We go through a ton of stuff, just talking about different things. It’s awesome being part of a great group of people and an organization. And, I’m just lucky because I really like Corona.
“When you call up, I think you’ll really hear a lot of that, you’ll get the tips on fantasy football, hear a pep talk for your favorite team and, of course, you’ll get to win some prizes, so there’s a lot of fun stuff.”
Is There One NFL Legend You Wish Would Call Into The Hotline To Get Your Advice?
“(laughs) Well, the first thing I would say is, ‘why are you calling me? I should be calling.’ The second part, I would just tell them to trust their instincts.”
I Mean, If You Could See The Future, What’re You Telling Lombardi Or Belichick, Man?
“With Vince Lombardi, I would tell him to open up the offense a lot, because the future’s going to be all about passing. If I could see the future, I think I’d be able to help every coach. Heck, I think Bill Belichick actually can see the future.”
OK, Here’s A Situation: What Pep Talk Would You Give, Say, Antonio Brown Heading Into The New Season?
“I’d tell him to have a Corona, get yourself to practice and enjoy yourself.”
Last One: Who Do You Predict To Win Super Bowl 54? Or, At The Very Least, Under-The-Radar Teams To Watch For.
“(laughs) Yeah, I’m not gonna do that, but good try. I did that last year, and it didn’t turn out that well. I think it’s going to be a great year, especially with all the young talent at quarterback this year. I think Sam Darnold will come on, much like Baker (Mayfield) and (Patrick) Mahomes did last year. It’s great for the league to see these young guys playing.
“There’s a chance that the Denver Broncos or San Francisco 49ers are a little bit better than people probably perceive them as. I think they’re both going to be better football teams than they were last year.”
Make sure to call into the Corona Extra Gameday Hotline by dialing 1-844-9-CORONA and get pep talks, win prizes and get your football questions answered by Tony Romo all season long.