Tony Romo Net Worth

What Is Tony Romo's Net Worth and Salary?

Tony Romo is a retired American football player and television broadcaster who has a net worth of $80 million. Romo established himself as one of the most productive quarterbacks in Dallas Cowboys history during a 14-season NFL career that lasted from 2003 to 2016. After going undrafted out of Eastern Illinois University, he signed with Dallas as a free agent and spent three seasons working his way up the depth chart before replacing Drew Bledsoe as the Cowboys' starting quarterback in 2006.

Romo went on to become the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards, with 34,183, and passing touchdowns, with 248. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and became known for his quick release, improvisational ability, and talent for extending plays after protection broke down. His finest statistical season came in 2014, when he led the NFL in completion percentage, passer rating, and yards per attempt while guiding Dallas to a 12-4 record.

Despite his individual accomplishments, Romo's career was also defined by playoff disappointments and a series of serious injuries. The Cowboys won only two postseason games with Romo as their starting quarterback, and recurring back and collarbone injuries eventually brought his playing career to an end.

Romo made an unusually seamless transition from the field to the broadcast booth. He joined CBS Sports immediately after retiring and was placed alongside Jim Nantz as the network's lead NFL analyst. His ability to anticipate plays before the snap and explain complicated strategies in accessible terms made him an immediate television star. His 2020 CBS agreement made him one of the highest-paid broadcasters in television sports history.

NFL Salary and Career Earnings

Tony Romo earned approximately $127 million in NFL salary during his career. More importantly, he earned more money than any undrafted player in NFL history at the time of his retirement.

Romo received only a modest signing bonus when he joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2003. After beginning his career near the bottom of the team's quarterback depth chart, he gradually developed into one of the NFL's highest-paid players.

In October 2007, less than a year after becoming Dallas' starter, Romo signed a six-year, $67.5 million contract extension. The deal included $30 million in guaranteed money and reflected the Cowboys' belief that they had found their long-term franchise quarterback.

In 2013, Romo signed another six-year extension worth $108 million, including approximately $55 million guaranteed. The contract included a $25 million signing bonus and was intended to keep him in Dallas through the remainder of his career.

In addition to his NFL salary, Romo earned millions from endorsement agreements with companies including Starter, Under Armour, Corona, Pizza Hut, and Skechers. In 2008, he signed a five-year endorsement deal with Starter reportedly worth $10 million.

Broadcasting Salary

After retiring from the NFL, Tony Romo joined CBS as an NFL analyst. During his first three seasons with the network, he reportedly earned approximately $4 million per year.

As his original CBS contract approached its expiration, ESPN was rumored to be preparing an aggressive offer that could have paid Romo between $14 million and $15 million annually. The possibility of losing him forced CBS to negotiate a new agreement well before the start of the 2020 NFL season.

In February 2020, Romo signed a long-term contract to remain at CBS. The deal was reported to be worth approximately $17 million per year and as much as $180 million over its full term. At the time, the agreement made him the highest-paid sports broadcaster in television history and placed his annual broadcasting compensation above the salaries of most active NFL players.

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Early Life

Antonio Ramiro Romo was born on April 21, 1980, in San Diego, California. His father was stationed at the San Diego Naval Base at the time of his birth, leading Romo to describe himself as a "Navy brat." The family later settled in Burlington, Wisconsin, where his father worked as a carpenter and construction worker and his mother held various jobs.

Romo initially showed particular promise as a baseball player. He competed in Little League and was selected for an All-Star team, but football eventually became his primary sport.

At Burlington High School, Romo became the starting quarterback while also participating in basketball, tennis, and golf. He graduated in 1998 and enrolled at Eastern Illinois University, where he played for the Panthers in what was then known as NCAA Division I-AA.

Romo developed into one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in school history. He earned three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year awards and received All-America honors. In 2002, he won the Walter Payton Award, presented to the most outstanding offensive player in Division I-AA football. He finished his college career with 8,212 passing yards and 85 touchdown passes.

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Joining the Dallas Cowboys

Despite his success at Eastern Illinois, Romo was not selected in the 2003 NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent after competing with the Denver Broncos for his services.

Romo opened his career as the third quarterback behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. He remained on the roster after Carter was released shortly before the 2004 season and gradually earned the confidence of head coach Bill Parcells.

During his first several seasons, Romo saw little action as a quarterback. He contributed primarily as the holder on field goals and extra-point attempts while learning the offense behind veteran quarterbacks including Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe.

Becoming the Cowboys' Starting Quarterback

Romo's opportunity arrived during the 2006 season. After Dallas struggled offensively under Bledsoe, Parcells inserted Romo during a game against the New York Giants. Romo became the permanent starter the following week and quickly energized the Cowboys' offense.

He finished the season with 2,903 passing yards and 19 touchdowns despite starting only ten games. Romo earned his first Pro Bowl selection and led Dallas into the playoffs. However, his first postseason appearance ended painfully when he mishandled the snap on a potential game-winning field goal against the Seattle Seahawks.

Romo responded with one of his strongest seasons in 2007. He threw for 4,211 yards and a then-franchise-record 36 touchdowns as the Cowboys finished 13-3 and earned the top seed in the NFC. Dallas was eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the divisional round.

The Cowboys returned to the playoffs in 2009. After winning the NFC East, Romo led Dallas to a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, giving the franchise its first playoff win since the 1996 season. The Cowboys were eliminated by the Minnesota Vikings one week later.

Injuries, Comebacks, and the 2014 Season

Romo's willingness to remain in games while injured became a defining part of his reputation. During his career, he played through broken ribs, a punctured lung, back injuries, and multiple fractured collarbones.

In 2011, he suffered a fractured rib and punctured lung against the San Francisco 49ers. Romo returned to the game and led Dallas to an overtime victory, finishing with 345 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Back problems became increasingly serious later in his career. Romo underwent surgery for a herniated disc in 2013, causing him to miss the final game of the season.

He returned in 2014 and produced arguably the best season of his career. Playing behind one of the NFL's strongest offensive lines, Romo completed 69.9% of his passes and led the league with a 113.2 passer rating and 8.5 yards per attempt. Dallas finished 12-4 and defeated the Detroit Lions in the playoffs before losing to the Green Bay Packers in a divisional-round game remembered for Dez Bryant's overturned fourth-down reception.

Romo finished third in voting for the NFL Most Valuable Player award and was named to his fourth Pro Bowl.

Final NFL Seasons and Retirement

Romo's final two seasons were dominated by injuries. He fractured his collarbone twice in 2015 and appeared in only four games.

During the 2016 preseason, Romo suffered a compression fracture in his back. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott took over and led the Cowboys to an 11-game winning streak and the NFC's best regular-season record. Once healthy, Romo accepted a backup role rather than disrupting the team's momentum.

He made his final NFL appearance during the Cowboys' regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, completing three of four passes and throwing a touchdown.

Romo retired in April 2017 at the age of 36. He finished his career with 34,183 passing yards, 248 touchdowns, a 65.3% completion rate, and a 97.1 passer rating.

(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Broadcasting Career

CBS hired Romo immediately after his retirement and placed him on its lead NFL broadcast team with Jim Nantz. The decision was unusual because Romo had no previous broadcasting experience and was replacing veteran analyst Phil Simms in the network's most prominent booth.

Romo quickly justified the gamble. Drawing on his recent experience as an NFL quarterback, he became known for identifying formations, explaining defensive coverages, and predicting plays before the ball was snapped. His enthusiasm and conversational delivery also helped him connect with viewers who did not have an extensive understanding of football strategy.

He and Nantz have called some of CBS's largest sporting events, including multiple Super Bowls and AFC Championship Games. Romo's early success also influenced how networks evaluated recently retired athletes, with broadcasters becoming increasingly willing to place former players into major roles without requiring years of experience in smaller markets.

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage)

Personal Life

Romo was in a highly publicized relationship with singer Jessica Simpson from 2007 to 2009.

In 2009, he began dating Candice Crawford, a former Miss Missouri and journalist who had worked for a Dallas television station covering the Cowboys. Candice is the younger sister of actor Chace Crawford.

Tony and Candice married in May 2011. They have three sons.

Romo is also an accomplished amateur golfer. He has attempted to qualify for several professional tournaments and has competed in celebrity and amateur golf events around the country.

Real Estate

In 2008, Tony purchased a home in the Valley Ranch community of Irving, Texas, for $699,000. The 5,551-square-foot property was relatively modest compared with the homes typically associated with highly paid NFL quarterbacks. He sold it in 2016 for approximately $1.05 million.

Tony and Candice later built a much larger custom residence in the exclusive Glen Abbey neighborhood of Dallas. The mansion has been reported to encompass approximately 30,000 square feet and includes extensive entertainment, recreation, and outdoor living areas.

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