Fun fact: “The Texas Rattlesnake” Steve Austin is the first man in U.S. history to deliver a Stone Cold Stunner to a president, a cabinet member, and a mayor.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has stunned 46 percent of the people in this photo, including the president. pic.twitter.com/GKkz0cjB5d
— Dan McQuade (@dhm) February 15, 2017
Austin also made the definitive observation about Tony Romo, the ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback — and soon-to-be ex-CBS commentator — who’s cursed with an uncanny knack for screwing up at the worst possible moment: “My problem with Dallas is I think Tony Romo is a damn good quarterback, but he s***s the bed at the most inopportune times… he just needs to do some brain work.”
It's a quote worth reconsidering in light of Romo’s legal — and professional — woes: Once again, at the worst possible moment, Tony Romo s**t the bed.
You’ve probably seen the video footage. Romo was busted in Wisconsin for driving with an open container of alcohol, failed a field sobriety test, and lost his coveted position as CBS Sports’ lead football color commentator. Most industry experts don’t expect he’ll return.
Tony Romo making his way back to CBS Sports is looking less likely by the day.
According to Puck’s John Ourand, who spoke with several sports media executives, the consensus across the industry is that Romo — sidelined indefinitely by CBS since late July — won’t be reclaiming his booth.
Whether or not you believe in second chances, CBS reportedly wants to get out of the Tony Romo business. And for better or worse, his recent arrest for an OWI in Wisconsin – and the humiliating body cam footage that followed — handed the network a convenient exit ramp it appears increasingly eager to take.
It seems CBS has buyer’s remorse for overpaying for Romo’s contract. At one point, Romo was considered a breath of fresh air — a quirky, likable presence in the booth. He wowed fans by accurately predicting plays, and won over critics with his affable, everyman appeal.
For a year or two, Romo was more popular as a commentator than he ever was as a player.
But then his quirks became quirkier. What was once endearing became grating and irritating. His work suffered. He seemed unprepared — as if he were mailing it in.
So when TV’s “breath of fresh air” declined a breathalyzer, CBS made its move:
As The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand has previously reported, Romo’s contract — with $72 million remaining over four years — contains a morals clause, the standard provision networks lean on when a marquee talent can no longer represent the brand after public embarrassment.
CBS’s legal team could make a credible case that this OWI incident is fair grounds for cause. Had this happened in 1987, it likely would have faded from the news cycle long before Week 1 arrived. In 2026, footage of Romo’s arrest and sobriety test has already been chopped into memes. As both Marchand and Ourand have noted, every odd phrase or stray noise Romo makes on air now risks reviving that footage across social media, GIFs and screenshots resurfacing on command. It might sound trivial, but it’s exactly the sort of recurring headache a company already looking for an exit has little appetite to manage.
It’s vintage Tony Romo: the worst mistake at the worst moment.
The only way it could’ve been more poetic would be if Romo was arrested in Seattle. For some strange reason, Romo’s biggest career arcs all happened in Seattle:
In 2006, head coach Bill Parcells gave a young Tony Romo an extended audition in a Seattle preseason game, starting him for the first time since his senior year at Eastern Illinois. Romo looked great, which led to him replacing Drew Bledsoe as the Cowboys’ starter. (He’d lead the team for a decade.)
In 2007, Romo was on the verge of winning a playoff game in Seattle, but then botched an extra point in the final minutes, leading to a Dallas defeat — and the beginning of the “Romo s***s the bed” narrative. Bill Parcells never coached another football game.
In 2016, in his third play in a preseason game against Seattle, Romo was sacked, broke a bone in his back, and rookie Dak Prescott replaced him. Romo never started again.
Three games, three career-defining moments, all in Seattle.
So what’s next for Tony Romo? He already had a second act as a commentator. Could he have a third act?
Probably: Netflix still needs a marquee name for its NFL package. And although Romo’s arrest footage was embarrassing, it’s not the worst transgression imaginable. Plenty of big-name talent — in the booth, on the field, behind the camera, and in the owner’s box — have done far worse.
But with Tony Romo, there’s always this nagging feeling that an anvil will drop on your head when you can least afford it.
When people show you who they are, believe them. With Tony Romo, there’s now a 20-year track record of him “s*****g the bed.”
Ask ANY Cowboys fan: It’s certainly not a one-off.
This is who he is.
Of course, that’s not all he is. He’s also a charismatic, fun-loving guy. He defied the odds, going from an undrafted rookie from lowly Eastern Illinois to a ten-year starter for America’s Team. It required hard work, dedication, and faith.
In many ways, he’s a success story. A hero, perhaps!
But alas, his failures are part of his story, too: There was the botched extra point in Seattle. His Cabo vacation before losing to the underdog Giants in the playoffs. His “Dez caught the ball” controversy against the Packers. His (many) fourth quarter interceptions. And a million other moments, big and small, where Romo inexplicably snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
In Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” the lyrics go: “Some will win, some will lose, some are born to sing the blues.”
Which is (depressingly) true: Some people are like Donald Trump, Tom Brady, Bill Russell, Steve Jobs, Phil Jackson, and Elon Musk. They win — over and over again. Perhaps it’s luck; perhaps it’s something else. (I’m guessing it’s something else.)
And some people lose — over and over again.
In life, there are winners, losers, and cautionary tales. Tony Romo is fascinating because he’s all three.
So when he rebounds with Netflix, I imagine he’ll do very well. At least for a little while. He might even regain his status as football’s most beloved commentator.
And then, eventually, he’ll s**t the bed — because that’s who he is.
The political lesson is obvious: Pick your candidate carefully. Being likable and charismatic isn’t enough; he must know how to win, too.
Because, unfortunately, some people choke. Some people can’t close. Some people can’t be counted on. Some people will even s**t the bed at the most inopportune time.
Just ask Stone Cold.
One Last Thing: 2026 will reach a crescendo with the midterm elections. Nothing less than the fate of the America First movement teeters in the balance.
Never before have the political battle lines been so clearly defined. Win or lose, 2026 will transform our country.
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