On a Wisconsin interstate in late July, Tony Romo — former NFL quarterback turned CBS broadcaster — was pulled over after a round of golf and arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated, refusing a breath test on the advice of counsel. The encounter, now visible through bodycam footage, places a celebrated public figure at the intersection of personal judgment and legal consequence. It is a moment that reminds us how swiftly the arc of a reputation can bend, and how the choices made in quiet, unscripted moments carry their own kind of weight.
Bodycam footage shows Tony Romo refusing breath test during Wisconsin DUI arrest
I've heard from all the lawyers don't ever do that
Mark
Why did Romo refuse the breath test? That seems like it made things worse.
Mimi
He said he'd been told by lawyers never to do it. It's a strategy some people use, but in Wisconsin, refusing the test itself becomes a separate charge, which is exactly what happened here.
Mark
So he got cited twice—once for the suspected intoxication and once for the refusal?
Mimi
Right. First-offense OWI and refusal to submit to a chemical test. The refusal doesn't make you look innocent; it just adds another count.
Mark
What does the bodycam actually show that matters?
Mimi
The officer's observations—red glassy eyes, alcohol on the breath—and Romo's insistence that he'd had nothing to drink. It's the gap between what he said and what the officer saw.
Mark
Does this affect his job at CBS?
Mimi
That's the open question. CBS hasn't said anything yet. But he's their lead Super Bowl commentator. This kind of arrest gets attention, and networks have to decide how to handle it.
Mark
What happens on September 21?
Mimi
That's his court date. That's when the legal process actually moves forward and we find out what the charges mean for him.
Le Pouls
- Bodycam footage has surfaced showing Romo questioning the officer's basis for suspicion, insisting he had consumed no alcohol after a day on the golf course.
- The officer's documented observations — red and glassy eyes, the smell of alcohol — created a direct conflict with Romo's account, escalating the stop into a formal arrest.
- Romo's refusal to submit to a breath test, grounded in legal advice, triggered a second citation and transformed a traffic stop into a two-count legal matter.
- The fallout extended beyond the courtroom: Romo withdrew from a golf tournament that same weekend, and his high-profile role at CBS now hangs in an uncomfortable public silence.
- With a court date set for September 21 and no statement from Romo or CBS, the story remains unresolved — legally, professionally, and reputationally.
On a Wisconsin interstate in late July, Tony Romo — former NFL quarterback turned CBS broadcaster — was pulled over after a round of golf and arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated, refusing a breath test on the advice of counsel. The encounter, now visible through bodycam footage, places a celebrated public figure at the intersection of personal judgment and legal consequence. It is a moment that reminds us how swiftly the arc of a reputation can bend, and how the choices made in quiet, unscripted moments carry their own kind of weight.
On July 23, Tony Romo was pulled over on a Wisconsin interstate after competing in the state amateur golf championship. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback told the officer he had come straight from the course and had not been drinking. When asked to step out of the vehicle, he pushed back, questioning what grounds the officer had for suspecting intoxication. The officer noted red and glassy eyes and detected the smell of alcohol, and Romo was taken to a nearby station for field sobriety testing.
The arrest ultimately turned on what happened after those tests. Romo declined to take a breath test, explaining that his lawyers had long advised him never to submit to one. That refusal, layered on top of the officer's observations, produced two citations: one for first-offense operating while intoxicated, another for refusing chemical testing. He was released and given a court date of September 21.
The timing carried consequences beyond the legal. Romo withdrew from a golf tournament scheduled for that same weekend. More significantly, questions arose about his standing at CBS, where he has served as lead color commentator alongside Jim Nantz since 2017 — a partnership that has called three Super Bowls. The network has offered no public comment.
Romo's football legacy — a decade with Dallas, four Pro Bowls, over 34,000 passing yards — has long been shadowed by a single dropped snap against Seattle that may have cost the Cowboys a playoff win. Now, another unscripted moment has added a new chapter to a story that has never been entirely his to control. He has made no public statement, and the bodycam footage, released this week by the New York Post, stands as the most complete account of what transpired.
On July 23, Tony Romo was pulled over on a Wisconsin interstate after finishing a round at the state amateur golf championship. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback found himself in the back of a police car, and now, bodycam footage from that traffic stop has surfaced, showing exactly what happened in those first moments after the officer approached his vehicle.
Romo told the officer he was coming directly from the golf course and had consumed no alcohol. When asked to exit the vehicle, he pushed back, questioning why the officer suspected intoxication based solely on where he'd been. The arresting officer, however, noted red and glassy eyes and detected the smell of alcohol. Romo was transported to a nearby station for field sobriety testing.
What happened next became the crux of the arrest. After completing the sobriety tests, Romo refused to submit to a breath test. His reasoning was direct: he said he'd been advised by lawyers never to take one. That refusal, combined with the officer's observations, resulted in two citations—one for first-offense operating while intoxicated and another for refusing to submit to a chemical test. He was released pending a court appearance scheduled for September 21.
The timing of the arrest created complications beyond the legal proceedings. Romo had been set to compete in the M&P Group Texas State Open golf tournament that same weekend, but he withdrew. The incident also raised questions about his role at CBS, where he has worked as a color commentator since retiring from football in 2017. He and Jim Nantz have been the network's primary broadcast team for major events, including three Super Bowls, most recently calling the Kansas City Chiefs' overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. CBS has not publicly commented on the arrest.
Romo's football career spanned a decade with Dallas, from 2006 to 2015, before an injury opened the door for Dak Prescott. The Cowboys released him after the 2015 season, and he retired two years later. Over his playing career, he threw for 34,183 yards and 248 touchdowns, completing 65.3 percent of his passes. He was selected to four Pro Bowls and finished tied for third in MVP voting in 2014, behind Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt but level with DeMarco Murray. His playoff record was 2-4, marked by a moment that defined his Dallas tenure: dropping the snap on a potential game-winning field goal attempt against Seattle, then attempting to run it in for a touchdown before being stopped short.
As of now, Romo has made no public statement about the arrest. The bodycam footage, obtained by the New York Post and released this week, provides the clearest record of what the officer observed and how Romo responded in those first minutes of the stop. His court date in September will determine what comes next.
Citations marquantes
Because I'm coming from a golf course, you think I'm drunk?— Tony Romo to the arresting officer
I've heard from all the lawyers don't ever do that— Tony Romo, explaining his refusal of the breath test
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Crime & Justice