Tony Romo refuses to perform police sobriety test until he’s stretched

The remarkable moment Tony Romo insists on completing stretching exercises before taking a police sobriety test has emerged in police bodycam footage following his arrest last week.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested for OWI after getting pulled over on a Milwaukee interstate and then performing ‘poorly’ on a field sobriety test.

Remarkable footage of a rambling and glᴀssy-eyed Romo failing the tests was obtained by The Daily Mail on Tuesday night, during which he complains of back pain and informs officers of his ‘two back surgeries’ a number of times.

The 46-year-old, who is now paid $18m-a-year to be CBS’ lead NFL color analyst, also complains that he was in pain while sitting in the back of the police car and pleads with officers to let him relieve some tension.

Before starting the series of exercises, Romo can be seen leaning up against the hood of the police car and stretching out his back. ‘Go ahead dude,’ the female officer tells him.

Then, as the officer tries to explain how he should perform the various tasks, a disinterested and distracted Romo continues to stretch out his back. 

Tony Romo insisted on doing stretches before completing a police sobriety test after his arrest

The former Cowboys quarterback complained of a bad back after his journey in a police car

Romo leaned up against the hood of the police card and mentioned his ‘two back surgeries’

Romo also continuously interrupts the officer as she tries to explain the exercises, asks her to repeat things a number of times and give demonstrations for him, before then failing to follow her instructions.

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When Romo is asked whether he’s willing to submit to a breath test, he replies: ‘Oh no, we’re not doing that. I’ve heard from all the lawyers “don’t ever do that”.’

Romo initially appears surprised that he’s been pulled over at the start of the footage. The officer tells him she stopped him for ‘unsafe pᴀssing on the right’ and ‘cutting across the gore’.

He tells the female officer he’s coming from the golf course and is on his way to ‘meet grandma and grandpa’. It later emerges they are waiting for him to catch a flight.

After the officer returns from checking Romo’s driver’s license, she bluntly asks him how many drinks he’s had. Romo replies: ‘Zero’.

The officer then tells Romo she wants to carry out a field sobriety test, causing Romo to scramble for his cell phone. He initially refuses to get out of his Jeep and says he’s going to call his lawyer and film their interaction.

When he eventually does step out of his car, Romo asks the officer: ‘Because I’m coming from a golf course you think I’m drunk?’ 

The officer then tells Romo he’s being detained for OWI and she will take him to a safer place for his testing before placing handcuffs on the ex-quarterback.

Footage of a rambling and glᴀssy-eyed Romo failing police sobriety tests emerged on Tuesday

The former Cowboys star can be seen talking over the officer and failing to grasp instructions

The 6ft 2ins ex-quarterback struggles to squeeze into the back of the police car and complains about back pain once he arrives at the police station.

Romo smirked in his mugsH๏τ after being arrested for OWI in Milwaukee after a golf event

The police officer tells Romo her partner found ‘shooters’ in his backpack but he fires back with: ‘I don’t think any of them were drank, right?’

Once the tests are complete, Romo is put back into the police car and says he would love to get out to ‘stretch’. The officer allows him to swing his legs around to the side, much to Romo’s relief.

The officer then reads the charges to Romo and she again asks if he will consent to a breath test. He snaps back: ‘No. Like I said I want my lawyer, for the eighth time.’

Romo, who forms half of CBS’ top NFL broadcast team alongside Jim Nantz, was later pictured smirking in a humiliating mugsH๏τ.

The arrest report states Romo was booked on one count of operating while intoxicated, first offense for allegedly performing ‘poorly’ on standardized field sobriety tests. 

Romo, who grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin, spent his entire 13-season NFL career with the Cowboys, leading Dallas to four postseason appearances as the team’s starting quarterback between 2006 and 2015.

However, despite earning four Pro Bowl nods during his time on the field, Romo failed to make it to the Super Bowl, never advancing past the divisional round.

Romo seemed surprised at first after being pulled over by police on a busy interstate

Romo initially told the officer he’d had ‘zero’ drinks when asked and wanted to call his lawyer

The 6ft 2ins ex-quarterback struggled to fit into the police car and complained about his back

He lost his starting position to then-rookie Dak Prescott in 2016, retiring from football at the end of that season.

Romo will be entering his tenth season as a sportscaster this fall but he has been criticized in recent years for his strange affectations and his errors in commentary.

Whether it was confusing Josh Allen for Patrick Mahomes, letting out a bizarre groan in Bills-Jaguars or calling a 4th & 1 carry like a first-down, Romo had his share of blunders in last season’s playoffs alone. 

Romo said he felt unwell during the Bills-Jaguars incident, explaining: ‘We had a bunch of guys sick, we were just grinding through it. You’re not going to miss a playoff game.’

In December 2023, at the height of ‘Tayvis’ Mania, Romo bizarrely addressed Taylor Swift as the wife of Travis Kelce while she watched him play for the Kansas City Chiefs.

It came long before the couple announced their engagement back in August of 2025 and got married earlier this month.

But the rogue play-calling is something Romo is becoming known for and in the eyes of many NFL fans, it is increasingly at the expense of the CBS coverage.

Romo, who famously dated Jessica Simpson from 2007 to 2009, is married to Candice Crawford Romo, a former broadcast journalist and past Miss Missouri. They have three children.

The former quarterback spent his entire 13-season NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys

Romo, who famously dated Jessica Simpson, is married to wife Candice, a past Miss Missouri

On Sunday, Romo quietly pulled out of the Texas State Open golf tournament in the wake of his shocking drunk driving arrest. 

He was previously listed among the participants in the historic compeтιтion at Cascades Country Club in Tyler, Texas this week, but organizers revealed he will no longer play.

In a statement to KLTV, the club confirmed: ‘Although we’re disappointed he won’t be joining us, we’re still looking forward to an exciting week of compeтιтive golf.’

Romo is a yearly participant in the Texas State Open golf tournament, an historic event which is open to both professionals and amateurs.

Held in Tyler since 2018, the 56th running of the compeтιтion is due to tee off on Monday, but Romo appears keen to stay out of the spotlight as the fallout continues.

Romo was also due to participate in a Q&A ahead of the start of the tournament, which organizers confirmed he will also not be present for.