[REVISION HISTORY]

Tony Romo pleads no contest to OWI charge

Updated 25 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 00:14 UTC → 2026-09-04 20:06 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On August 31, 2026, Tony Romo pleaded no contest to an operating while intoxicated charge stemming from his July 23 arrest during a traffic stop on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee County. Court records indicate Romo’s blood-alcohol concentration was 0.15, nearly twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08. As part of the legal resolution, Romo has lost his driving privileges for six months and must complete an alcohol assessment program. He is also required to install an interlock device in any vehicle he operates or owns for at least one year following the reinstatement of his license. He was ordered to pay $834 in related costs. Under the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop other citations, including possession of open intoxicants and refusal to take an intoxication test. However, the agreement includes a provision requiring a mandatory jail sentence if Romo is convicted of another OWI-related offense within the next 10 years. Romo released a statement via Instagram taking full responsibility, attributing his alcohol use to managing debilitating pain following multiple back surgeries. He explained that a dependence on pain medication eventually transitioned into an over-reliance on alcohol as he attempted to wean himself off the medication. He stated, “None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.” He noted he is working with medical professionals to address these health issues. While CBS Sports previously placed Romo on indefinite leave to protect the network’s brand, the network has tapped JJ Watt to fill his role in the broadcast booth. A representative for the analyst indicated that discussions regarding his potential return to the broadcast booth are ongoing. This follows earlier reports that CBS and Paramount were evaluating whether the incident triggered a morals clause in his $180 million contract.

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