Tony Romo pleads no contest to OWI charge in Wisconsin

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS broadcaster Tony Romo has pleaded no contest to an operating while intoxicated (OWI) charge in Wisconsin following a July 23 arrest in Milwaukee. Court documents reveal that Romo’s plea deal includes a provision requiring a mandatory jail sentence if he is convicted of another OWI-related offense within the next 10 years.

Additional terms of the agreement include a fine exceeding $700, a six-month driver’s license revocation, the installation of ignition interlock devices on his vehicles, and the completion of an alcohol assessment program. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop other citations, including possession of open intoxicants and refusal to take an intoxication test.

Romo issued a public statement addressing the incident, stating he is taking full responsibility for his actions. He explained that his struggle with alcohol developed as a response to debilitating pain caused by multiple back surgeries that ended his football career, which led to a dependence on pain medication and subsequently an over-reliance on alcohol. He noted he is working with medical professionals to address his health.