Tag: Tony Romo

Tony Romo could reset commentator market for Peyton Manning

ESPN is willing to make Tony Romo the highest-paid sports commentator in TV history. That could be good news for Peyton Manning.

CBS hit the jackpot when they hired former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to serve as an NFL commentator in 2017. Romo has an endearing personality and fans have been wowed by his ability to predict plays.

Romo is arguably one of the top voices in football commentary right now and ESPN has taken note of that. The network is preparing to offer Romo $10-14 million per year to switch to “Monday Night Football.”

ESPN previously tried and failed to recruit Peyton Manning to the broadcast booth. The former Colts and Broncos quarterback is not interested in commentating at this time, likely in part because his brother, Eli, is still an active player.

In 2018, ESPN and Fox both offered Manning up to $10 million per season to call primetime games. After being spurned by Manning, ESPN has apparently shifted its attention to Romo. The network is willing to make Romo the highest-paid sports commentator in TV history.

That’s probably good news for Manning.

If Eli retires soon and Peyton decides he wants to join a broadcast booth, he will have leverage to negotiate a contract similar to Romo’s. Waiting to get into commentating could turn out to be a brilliant financial decision for Manning because Romo appears poised to reset the market.

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2020 Free Agency: ESPN throwing big money at Tony Romo as CBS deal expires

The former Cowboys QB is being courted by a new broadcast team with a contract that would make him the highest-paid sportscaster in history.

As the quarterback of America’s Team, Tony Romo was a polarizing figure, to say the least. Even die-hard Cowboys fans often found themselves divided. One moment he was the cocksure, tough-as-nails, wisecracking, gunslinging magician who could pull a rabbit out of his hat on any given snap. The next, he was accused of trying to do too much, called physically fragile, and being labeled a choker when it mattered the most.

As a broadcaster, though, Romo is almost universally regarded as among the very best, even after just three seasons in the booth. His relaxed and conversational style is uniquely welcoming, and he has shown a knack for breaking down Xs and Os in a way that engages both hardcore football nerds and casual observers. His uncanny forecasting of what’s about to happen on the field has become a calling card. And now, just like a player at the top of his game, Romo has captured the attention of rival organizations who are willing to offer major money for him to switch teams.

In a story first reported by Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy (no relation to the new Cowboys coach), ESPN is “preparing an offer” that would make Romo the highest-paid sportscaster in television history.

The 39-year-old Romo is believed to be currently making $3-4 million a year as the lead color analyst for CBS, with a contract that is about to expire. ESPN is reportedly offering Romo between $10 million and $14 million annually.

It’s a quantum leap in pay and an unprecedented salary for a sportscaster. To put that number in perspective, no football broadcaster has ever pulled down more than $8 million a year. And that was John Madden.

Neither ESPN nor Romo has commented at the time of this writing. It is widely assumed that The Worldwide Leader is eyeing Romo for the color analyst job on Monday Night Football, although they may have other plans in the long-term. ESPN’s parent company Disney could well take a run at one of the NFL packages belonging to CBS, NBC, or Fox when television rights are again up for bid in 2020-2021.

Adding to the intrigue is a nugget dropped from NFL insider Adam Schefter.

The report specifies that it was a “non-ESPN” network asking about putting Brees in the booth. Could that network be CBS, already preparing for a possible exit by Romo by lining up someone with many of the same qualities and traits to be his replacement?

Romo’s addition to the MNF crew would lend instant credibility to a franchise that has flagged badly in recent years. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, Romo’s former teammate, lasted just one year in the ESPN booth before returning to the field; he was never the broadcasting natural that Romo has shown to be. Booger McFarland did not improve when the network moved him from his sideline spot to the analyst role; he is lambasted every single week for his insipid ramblings spouted as if they are kernels of rare wisdom. Play-by-play man Joe Tessitore tries way too hard to pump up bad matchups, yelling, “OUTRAGEOUS!!” at the most routine plays in the middle of the game. One can only guess that signing an analyst of Romo’s stature would immediately require the ouster of one or both men from the Monday Night booth.

Part of Romo’s easy segue to working behind the mic has come from his pairing at CBS with his good friend Jim Nantz. The two have a real rapport that comes across on the air, with Nantz generally playing the straight man and calling the action while setting Romo up with opportunities to share his football insight and Everyfan enthusiasm. Nantz has gone on record saying that he hopes to continue working alongside Romo “for a generation of games,” but even the easygoing Romo may not be able to turn down a new contract that triples his current salary.

He may want to consider doing just that, though. As Alex Reimer of Forbes astutely points out, there are some compelling reasons for Romo to stay put. Consider the schedule, for one. At CBS, Romo is in the booth for the network’s marquee game every single Sunday. The MNF schedule is set far in advance and cannot be flexed to avoid awful teams or boring matchups.

Also, look at the numbers. Ratings are what it’s all about in television, and CBS trounces ESPN when it comes to viewership. Would Romo have catapulted to the top of the broadcast heap if he hadn’t been on one of the big-boy networks? Would the endorsement deals with Corona, Skechers, and Ralph Lauren still have come?

Finally, think about the workload. ESPN goes 24/7 and across numerous platforms; that’s a lot of airtime to fill. It’s hard to imagine the executives in Bristol wouldn’t expect a superstar like Romo- who famously dabbles in pro-am golf during the offseason- to start doing a lot more than three hours of afternoon TV a week for the exorbitant amount of money being discussed.

Romo probably should be the highest-paid broadcaster in the game, but CBS has the right to match any new offer he gets. Romo could still score an exponential pay raise and not have to put in any more hours or develop chemistry with a new partner, while always getting the best game of the week to share with the biggest audience.

Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between Tennessee and Kansas City will be the final game of Romo’s current contract. And then the longtime Cowboys quarterback will have to call an audible on the next chapter of his career.

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WATCH: Report: ESPN expected to offer Tony Romo record contract in NFL offseason

Front Office Sports reports that ESPN will offer Tony Romo somewhere between $10 and $14 million annually as the worldwide leader sets out to improve its Monday Night Football on-air product.

Tony Romo is a national treasure in a TV booth. Now he is expected to get a record contract this upcoming offseason.

Front Office Sports reports that ESPN will offer the 39-year-old, 14-year Cowboys veteran somewhere between $10 and $14 million annually as the worldwide leader sets out to improve its Monday Night Football on-air product and as the network also potentially pursues a Sunday game package during upcoming negotiations between networks and the league.

The New York Post also reported last week that ESPN is expected to pursue Romo, whose contract with CBS expires at the end of this season.

CBS gave Romo its lead color analyst role in 2017 after he retired from playing football. Alongside Jim Nantz, Romo shows his ability to predict game scenarios and plays as he flawlessly reads defenses from the booth.

While Romo immediately got top billing on CBS when beginning his full-time broadcasting career, his current contract is reportedly paying him about $4 million annually, so the numbers that ESPN’s supposed offer would give Romo a significant raise. The reported numbers would also make the former QB the highest paid network analyst in history.

There doesn’t seem to be any sign that things with CBS aren’t working out, though, and the Front Office Sports report explains that Romo’s current employer will have the opportunity to match any competing offers.

Tony Romo set to cash in on boffo new TV deal with ESPN

Everyone’s favorite recipient of the sponsor exemption is reportedly going to get the richest deal ever for a sports broadcaster.

Tony Romo, who loves himself some sponsor exemptions on the PGA Tour, is about to cash in with a new contract from ESPN, according to a report by Mike McCarthy of Front Office Sports.

Romo, the pigskin prognosticator who currently works for CBS for an annual salary of $4 million per year, is reportedly in talks with ESPN for a $10-$14 million deal. Per season.

That kind of money would make him the highest paid sportscaster in the history of televised sports.

He’s only in his third year of his current gig, but ESPN reportedly has big plans for Romo. He’d likely take over the Monday Night Football analyst gig. He might also be the lead analyst on a Sunday game, should ESPN muscle their way into a NFL spot it currently doesn’t hold. And for that kind of money, Romo is likely to be everywhere ESPN is, maybe even a golf telecast.

ESPN televises the first two rounds of the Masters and starts an 11-year deal with the PGA of America for exclusive coverage of the first two rounds of the PGA Championship in 2020. ESPN will also have live morning as well as featured hole coverage on the weekends.

You have to think his new TV gig would still allow him some opportunities to swing the wrenches, something he’s pretty good at.

Last September, Romo rattled the golf world with a first-round 70 at the Safeway Open before posting a 78 to miss the cut. Nonetheless, Romo proved these sponsor exemptions aren’t a complete waste of everyone’s time.

Then again, for the money ESPN is purportedly getting ready to fork over, maybe they don’t want Romo dabbling in golf. CBS had to make contingency plans for him making the cut. Playing the weekend in Napa, California, would’ve meant he wouldn’t have made that Sunday’s Vikings at Bears game.

Count television partner Jim Nantz among his biggest supporters of his quest to play on the PGA Tour.

“I have a lot of faith in Tony being able to pull off whatever he wants to do,” Nantz told Golfweek in September. “The same thing that made him an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois and go on to set every passing record for the Dallas Cowboys that exists, same thing that took a guy from the playing field to the broadcast booth and into the ‘A position’ – and again met with a lot of doubts and critics – and proved to be a generational broadcaster from the analyst side, that’s where it’s coming from.

“He’s proven people wrong his whole life.”

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak contributed to this article.

Report: ESPN planning to offer Tony Romo between $10M-14M per season

A Front Office Sports reports suggests ESPN is planning to offer Tony Romo a landmark contract.

One of the biggest free agents this offseason won’t be in a uniform. Tony Romo’s contract with CBS is coming up and Mike McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports ESPN is planning to make a huge effort to sign the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback:

ESPN is preparing an offer that would make Tony Romo the highest-paid sportscaster in TV history, with a multi-year deal that would pay him between $10 million to $14 million annually, said sources.

ESPN declined to comment. A representative for Romo could not be reached for comment.

https://twitter.com/frntofficesport/status/1216549061442011139

If ESPN would land Romo, Front Office Sports sources suggest he could succeed Booger McFarland as the analyst on “Monday Night Football.”

Romo could also potentially quarterback ESPN’s NFL game coverage if parent Disney acquires a Sunday afternoon game package from rival FOX Sports, CBS Sports, and NBC Sports during the next round of NFL TV negotiations in 2020-2021.

No deal has been signed yet, and one source said any negotiation for a new contract for Romo might not wrap up until a month or two after Super Bowl 54.

CBS also has a right to match any offers for Romo, according to sources.

The 39-year-old Romo makes about $4 million annually on the final year of his three-year rookie broadcasting deal. Troy Aikman, FOX’s top NFL game analyst, makes around $7.5 million per year.

Romo has been an instant hit in the TV booth, teamed with Jim Nantz on CBS’ lead broadcast pairing.

Meanwhile, the ESPN MNF team of McFarland and Joe Tessitore have been ridiculed over their two seasons. The ESPN team’s first season featured a three-person booth with Jason Witten, who returned to the field after an unsuccessful venture at broadcasting.

Report: Drew Brees approached about TV analyst position

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has drawn interest by the NFL’s TV broadcast partners, but he may not be finished playing just yet

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It almost goes without saying that Drew Brees will have plenty of career options when his time in the NFL is finished. The longtime New Orleans Saints quarterback has been an active investor in recent years, though it’s unlikely his day as a dishwasher at a sports bar for “Undercover Boss” endeared him to that career path.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Brees was recently approached by a non-ESPN network to gauge his interest in TV game analysis. While Brees has not yet confirmed whether he’ll continue playing — his Saints contract voids in March — Schefter’s report adds that Brees will not be making any decisions about his future employment status until he’s settled on whether he’ll continue playing.

It makes sense that the NFL’s broadcast partners would take an interest in Brees. Given the recent success of former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the broadcast booth, maybe they envision Brees as a similarly-successful addition.

What’s curious is that Brees has not shown much interest himself in doing this kind of work. Unlike contemporaries such as Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen or Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Brees has not taken on guest spots during game broadcasts or preview shows, so he’s largely an unknown quantity. Great as he is at spinning a football, it’s possible he isn’t as impressive in calling games live on air.

But this all hinges on Brees’ decision. It could come as soon as this week — Saints coach Sean Payton conveniently joined the ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown crew as a guest analyst and offered his take on the situation, repeating his previous take that he doesn’t think Brees is ready to quit playing just yet. Payton said that he expects to hear from Brees in the coming days, possibly ahead of the quarterback’s 41st birthday on Wednesday. So this is a situation well worth monitoring.

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6 Cowboys memorable late-season NFC East matchups from recent years

The 2019 Week 16 matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles will tell a new chapter in the longstanding rivalry in the battle for the NFC East.

Week 16’s grudge match between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will do much more than decide the 2019 season’s most bizarre division race. The showdown also turns back the clock, as Dallas once again prepares to take on a division rival with direct playoff implications on the line.

These crucial, late-season division games once defined the early part of Jason Garrett’s coaching tenure, a seeming near-annual tradition that typically left the Cowboys outside of the playoffs entirely. Dallas has seen more relative late-season success in the Dak Prescott era, but a glimpse through recent history suggests there certainly won’t be any guarantees come kickoff on Sunday.

Week 17 2008

Philadelphia Eagles: L – 44-6

The 2019 Cowboys are far from the only disappointing team to fall short of expectations. Coming off a 13-3 season which saw them earn the conference’s No. 1 seed, Dallas dropped three of their last four games in 2008 to finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

Facing a win-and-in scenario for the final wild card spot, the Cowboys got their doors blown in by Philadelphia 44-6. It was the final game Terrell Owens would play as a Cowboy, who was released in the ensuing offseason.

Week 17 2009

Philadelphia Eagles: W – 24-0

Dallas got their revenge a year later, again meeting the Eagles in Week 17, this time with the division title on the line. The Dallas defense pitched a shutout, sacking Donovan McNabb four times in a 24-0 rout. The win catapulted the Cowboys to first place in the NFC East, and set up a decisive third matchup against Philadelphia as No. 3 vs No. 6 seeds in a Wild Card playoff game.

The Cowboys would cement their dominance over Philadelphia that season, taking all three games and ending the Eagles’ season by handing them two straight losses. The playoff exit also signaled a changing of the guards in Philadelphia, who traded McNabb to the Redskins just four months later.

Week 17 2011

New York Giants: L – 31-14

After a bottoming out, one-year hiatus from the playoff picture in 2010, a returning Tony Romo and newly installed head coach Jason Garrett would vie for the NFC East crown for the next three years, only to fall each time in Week 17 to a different division opponent.

The Giants were the team to do it first, as Eli Manning raced them out to a 21-0 first half lead. Victor Cruz would finish the game with 178 receiving yards and one touchdown on six catches, while Romo was sacked six times, threw one interception and lost one fumble. The game stung, but little did Dallas know it was just the first in a trilogy of Week 17 disappointments.

Week 17 2012

Washington: L – 28-18

The Cowboys found themselves in almost the same spot as the last season, at 8-7 heading into the final regular season game, where they needed a win claim the division and punch their playoff ticket. Unfortunately, Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris stood in their way.

Dallas simply had no answer for Washington’s rushing attack, as RG3 ate them alive with the read option. The pair combined for 263 rushing yards and scored all four of their touchdowns. It was a nightmare game for Romo, who threw more interceptions (three) than TDs (two).

Week 17 2013

Philadelphia Eagles: L – 24-22

The Cowboys signed veteran QB Kyle Orton to a three-year, $10.5 million contract in 2012. He would start one game for Dallas in his career, the 2013 regular season finale against the Eagles. He was tasked with doing what Romo couldn’t, leading them to a victory in the regular season finale that would earn a playoff berth. Orton too, would ultimately fall short.

Down eight points with just six minutes remaining, Orton led a comeback that nearly changed his legacy in Dallas. He connected with Dez Bryant for a 32-yard touchdown pass to get the Cowboys within two, and they still had life after missing the two-point conversion and forcing a quick Philadelphia three-and-out. Just needing to reach Dan Bailey’s field goal range, Orton’s first pass attempt was intercepted by Brandon Boykin with 1:49 left in the game, resulting in the same fate as their previous two seasons.

Orton held out during the next offseason, and was eventually released.

Week 15 2014

Philadelphia Eagles: W – 38-27

The Cowboys finally got the monkey off their back in 2014, but again had to go through Philadelphia to win the division. Both teams were 9-4 entering the late December game, and the Eagles had just beaten Dallas on Thanksgiving two weeks prior.

It would be a statement game by both Jason Garrett and Dez Bryant, who each had signature moments on the way to what was a magical and infamous Cowboys season. Garrett opted for a surprise onside kick to begin the game, and Bryant would haul in three touchdown receptions in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd on the way to victory. The Cowboys would go on to win their first division title in five seasons.

The NFC East usually sets the stage for big moments, and this year is no different. The first matchup between Dallas and the Eagles this season is still fresh in the minds of both teams, but who knows what this one will hold, especially with such high stakes.

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News: Jerry Jones addresses Payton rumors, Troy Aikman’s digs

Ezekiel Elliott and three of his blockers may have been named to the 2020 Pro Bowl already, but the Cowboys still have plenty of business to attend to in the 2019 season. In fact, the team is still adding to their roster for the final two games and …

Ezekiel Elliott and three of his blockers may have been named to the 2020 Pro Bowl already, but the Cowboys still have plenty of business to attend to in the 2019 season. In fact, the team is still adding to their roster for the final two games and what they hope will be a strong postseason push.

Focus is starting to shift to this weekend’s showdown with the Eagles, but fans and media alike are still soaking in the decisive win last weekend against the Rams. As always, owner Jerry Jones had things to say, this time about Sean Payton and Troy Aikman and the hypothetical roles some are eyeing them for in Dallas. All that, plus sounds from the sideline and a peek inside the booth with Tony Romo. Here’s all the News and Notes.

Jerry Jones dispels Sean Payton rumors :: 105.3 The Fan

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton used to be the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys under Bill Parcells. He’s also been extraordinarily successful in his current role as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Even still, he’s long been rumored to be the apple of owner Jerry Jones’s eye. But on the record, Jones says there’s no fire coming from all that smoke.

–TT

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones responds to Troy Aikman’s criticism: ‘He would do it exactly like I do :: USA Today

Jones had plenty more to say about the hypothetical future of the Dallas franchise, this time about former playcaller Troy Aikman. In his current job as lead analyst for FOX Sports, Aikman has been critical of his former employer and the power structure that he intimated has hampered the team’s success since he retired after the 2000 season.

“He emptied the bucket just like I did to become a Cowboy,” Jones said on 105.3, as quoted in an exclusive recap by Mike Fisher. “I would wager that if he (’emptied the bucket’) to buy the team, he would do it exactly like I do it. I would wager that.”

Fisher points out that he believes Jones is referring to how involved Aikman would be as a team owner, not suggesting his style would be the same as Jones’s own.

Aikman has made no secret of his interest in perhaps one day being in a team’s front office. But he does not believe that opportunity will be in Dallas.

“I just don’t think Jerry Jones will bring in anyone that will serve in a role such as the one I would prefer,” Aikman has said.

–TB

 

Cowboys work out 2 LBs, sign one with a high-profile MVP on resume :: Cowboys Wire

Linebacker Malcolm Smith may not exactly be a household name, but he is a known commodity to Cowboys passing game coordinator Kris Richard. Oh, and he’s a Super Bowl MVP. The former Seahawk was signed by Dallas on Tuesday, adding sorely-needed depth to a linebacker corps that is suddenly without Leighton Vander Esch, Joe Thomas, and rookie sensation Luke Gifford.

Smith has spent time recently with New Orleans and Jacksonville, but saw little to no action with those clubs. The 30-year-old had the game of his life in Super Bowl XLVIII, notching 10 combined tackles (six solo), deflecting a pass, recovering a fumble, and returning an interception for a touchdown in the Seattle’s 43-8 victory over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

–TB

Week 16 EPA Power Rankings: Rumors of Cowboys demise greatly exaggerated :: Cowboys Wire

Bill Parcells liked to profess, “You are what your record says you are.” To a certain extent, that’s true. But football is largely random. It’s the smallest sample size of any major sport. The ball is a weird shape and bounces funny. So while a team’s record is what determines their lot in life, there are far better predictors out there, one of which is EPA. In this metric, the 7-7 Cowboys are currently a top-five team and rank No. 2 offensively. That may not make fans feel any better, but it should. If Dallas is able to take the NFC East, they can be as formidable as anyone in the playoffs.

–TT

‘Old guys’ Witten and Lee ‘turn back the clock,’ do something new vs. Rams :: Cowboys Wire

The Cowboys have lacked the kind of sideline juice that defines many success stories in the NFL. A year ago, wide receiver Amari Cooper provided exactly that. On Sunday against the Los Angeles, it was provided by seasoned veterans: linebacker Sean Lee and tight end Jason Witten. Lee chose to return to the Cowboys on a modified deal, eschewing more money and a chance at a starting job elsewhere to stay with the team that drafted him. Witten bounced back to Dallas after a dalliance with Monday Night Football. For one day at least, the two veterans provided the kind of boost the Cowboys sorely needed.

–TT

Jim Schwartz details what Eagles defense must do vs. Cowboys to give hobbled offense a chance :: The Philadelphia Inquirer

Ask Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz how he plans to slow down the Cowboys’ top-rated offensive attack on Sunday, and he’ll point to some of the usual things that all coaches harp on: stopping the run, playing clean football, defending well in the red zone, and winning third down battles.

But Schwartz is particularly worried about pursuit, an issue he says is different from poor tackling.

“When you’re pursuing well as a team, you don’t notice missed tackles,” he offered.

His unit let Adrian Peterson run away from them several times last week versus Washington. This week, they’ll be chasing guys like Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott.

“He’s a strong, contact runner. We’re going to have to put a lot of hats on him,” Schwartz said. “It’s not going to be one-on-one tackling.”

–TB

Tyrone Crawford’s recovery :: ESPN

The shrouds of mystery surrounding injuries to players on the Dallas Cowboys isn’t a new thing. Often, it seems both the organization and players are willing to forego immediate surgery in hopes that short-term rehabilitation can get the player back on the field. This offseason, Tyrone Crawford opted for the rehab route, which ultimately may have cost him the majority of the 2019 campaign.

–TT

Cowboys beat a winning team :: FOX Sports

If you can’t find humor in what’s been a disappointing season, then perhaps an evaluation of priorities are in order. The Cowboys finally got a win over a team with a record over .500 and, of course, that’s cause for celebration. Headphones are required for the video below.

–TT

Sounds from the Sideline :: The Mothership

It’s always more fun to listen to players on the sideline during a victory than it is during defeat. This is no exception. It’s rare to actually learn much from these videos, but there’s one new fact that all Cowboys fans will learn: what linebacker Sean Lee really has in his water bottle during games. After his eye-popping performance Sunday, maybe the entire team should follow his lead.

–TT

Behind the scenes with Tony Romo, Jim Nantz, and the NFL’s top broadcasting team :: The Athletic

In an insightful peek behind the curtain, Richard Deitsch embedded with the A-team of CBS Sports during Week 14’s Chiefs-Patriots clash. Among the juicy tidbits for Tony Romo fans to savor? His hotel routine on gameday mornings, his drink of choice while calling the game of the week, and his pregame vocal warmups that include singing along (loudly) to a playlist featuring Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, and U2. If Romo can hit Bono’s high notes in ‘Red Hill Mining Town,’ the former Cowboys quarterback knows he’s ready to take the mic for kickoff.

The article details the nuts and bolts of how the broadcast comes together and also touches on Romo’s future with the network. His contract expires at the end of this season, but his friend Jim Nantz hopes their partnership in the booth goes on for a long while.

“If we could get 15 years,” Nantz says, “that would be a career goal for me. That would cover five or six Super Bowls in that span. I am 60 and Tony is not even 40 yet. He turns 40 in April. He’s like three years younger than Tom Brady! At that point, I would be 75. How I would love to be able to play this out for a generation of games together.”

–TB

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Dak Prescott in rare air: ‘The best football I’ve ever seen him play’

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is having an MVP-caliber season and among the historic elite, but he’s focused on Week 12 and the Patriots.

Dak Prescott had the hot hand in Week 10 versus the Minnesota Vikings but the Dallas Cowboys didn’t ride it sufficiently in the minds of most, and the team dropped a game they could have won. When Prescott began to heat up on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, this time the coaching staff did what they could to fan the flames.

Once the smoke cleared after the 35-27 win at Ford Field, the Cowboys had moved ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East standings. And Prescott had moved even further ahead of his already-lofty status in the eyes of his teammates.

“Dak’s playing the best football I’ve ever seen him play,” running back Ezekiel Elliott told the media following the win. “Definitely took his game to the next level, just the things he’s been able to do: come up to the line, changing plays, getting us in the right place versus certain looks.”

“He’s playing phenomenally,” wideout Amari Cooper said in the visitors’ locker room. “Shoot, we can’t ask for much more out of him. He’s throwing for a lot of yards, he’s really adjusting to the offense, taking command, he knows exactly how to go out there and shred the defense that we’re going up against every week. He’s doing a lot of really great things.”

“A lot of people don’t realize how good he actually is,” echoed receiver Randall Cobb after the game. “I think he’s just continuing to prove people wrong, week in and week out.”

But Prescott’s big day wasn’t just a one-off fireworks show. And it’s not just the second installment of a short-lived hot streak. Put together his numbers from his past 16 games, and it’s plain to see that Dak is straight up dealing.

Had those 16 games been the 2018 regular season, Prescott would have finished in third place among all qualifying league quarterbacks in passing yardage, behind only Ben Roethlisberger and league MVP Patrick Mahomes. His completion percentage would have ranked him 5th, his yards per attempt would have placed 3rd, and his passing touchdowns would have been good enough to tie for 6th.

But Prescott doesn’t feel like he’s maxed out his potential.

“I know I can continue to play better, and play better than I did tonight. That’s what I focus on,” he said in his postgame address. “I don’t think about performances in the past. I’m not going to sit here and look too much on this performance. It’s about what we can do now, how I can get better.”

The 4th-year veteran is quick to downplay his play of late, but the Mississippi State product is entering some historically rarified air for NFL passers.

Prescott’s 400-yard performances came against the Giants in the season opener, against Green Bay in Week 5, and against Detroit on Sunday. He missed the plateau by just three yards in Week 10 versus Minnesota, a game in which he still tossed three touchdowns to go with his 397 yards. That group of outings catapults Prescott into an even more exclusive club.

Once again, Prescott chose not to dwell on the accomplishment when it was pointed out after the victory.

“Sure, it’s great,” Prescott shrugged. “That’s what stats are for, to be able to look back and compare, whatever. But for me, it’s about ‘let’s go get another win’ and maybe I’ll get the fifth one. Just all about moving forward, getting better. It’s humbling anytime to be thrown in with the name Montana.”

Prescott’s monster day was due in no small part to the amount of time he was given in the pocket by the Dallas offensive line. He was sacked just once on the afternoon, his protection causing FOX play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt to quip at one point that Prescott had enough time to “bake a cake” as he went through his reads.

“It gives you a lot of confidence,” Prescott offered. “Gives you so much confidence. You sit back there… there was a couple times I literally went through the progression two or three times.”

He ended up targeting eight different receivers on the day, often rolling out of the pocket and altering his throwing motion while on the move to sidearm several balls to teammates in traffic.

“He has that ability,” coach Jason Garrett remarked in his postgame press conference. “He’s not one of these guys who’s just a statue in the pocket. He can get out and move, he can throw from funny body positions, he can throw going left, he can throw going right. That’s just part of what makes him such a good player, his ability to do that and handle different situations that come up over the course of a play, and he did that a number of times today.

“He just continues to grow and develop as a quarterback.”

Every bit of growth, every step in his development, every 400-yard game further cements Prescott’s place in Dallas. And while he’s put his contract extension talks on the shelf in order to focus on the season, his play is putting him squarely in the elite category. There is now little doubt that soon his pay will be elite, too.

Prescott is on a tear, by whatever measuring stick is being used. And while it will eventually result in some fat figures next to his bank account, his Cowboys teammates are happy for the moment to see him racking up big numbers on the field. They hope he can maintain his hot hand next week in chilly New England.

“Something’s clicking there,” observed Elliott. “He’s throwing the [expletive] out of the ball. We’ve got a bunch of weapons on the outside he can throw it to; it’s hard for a defense to stop him. So keep that thing rolling.”

The record-setting stats and comparative accolades thus far have made for a nice chapter in Dak Prescott’s story. But he’s not interested in re-reading the same pages over and over; he says he’s already focused on his next challenge in the Patriots.

“I told you, we close books fast and we move on.”

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Carson Wentz asked a cameraman what Tony Romo thought of a touchdown review because he’s ‘always right’

“Well, Romo’s always right.”

It’s been a while since we’ve posted an “OMG TONY ROMO PREDICTED THE FUTURE!” story, and that’s partially a testament to Romo going beyond predicting plays while in the CBS booth with Jim Nantz.

But even NFL players know Romo is right about a lot of things he says on the air. Just ask Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.

While he waited for a review on a Dallas Goedert touchdown to see if the Patriots had forced a turnover before he had reached the end zone, Wentz apparently asked a CBS camerman what Romo thought. The ex-Cowboy said it was indeed a score, so Wentz responded: “Well, Romo’s always right.”

Romo’s response was funny:

And he’s right! Romo sniffed out a trick play the Patriots ran with Julian Edelman, with him saying New England likes to pull up something “unique” when the receiver runs across before the snap:

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