Troy Aikman Still Defending Tony Romo

Dec 2, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) smiles prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Troy Aikman has been supporting Tony Romo for his entire career. He’s said Romo is great and better than he was and as speculation swirls about the Cowboys looking to extend Tony Romo’s contract he is there defending him again.

“There’s been a little bit of a teasing going on because this team has been talented, they were 13-3 the one year,” Aikman told 105.3 The Fan’s RAGE show, via the Dallas Morning News. “In my opinion, they’ve been good enough talent-wise to have done a little bit more than they’ve been able to do. I think that part of it is the frustration for a lot of the fans.

“I think the fans get excited each year because they know that this team is capable of doing something. They know that [Tony] Romo is, I believe most fans recognize, ‘Hey, this guy’s really gifted.’ And they’ve just come up short for a variety of reasons.”

But Dallas fans are separated into two factions: Pro-Romo vs Anti-Romo. Some called apologists say his deficiencies are a result of the offensive line. Tony Romo even said he wishes he could play flat footed like Tom Brady, but always has to be on the move to avoid constant pressure. They’d also point out that they don’t have any other options. Troy though says Romo is a special player.

“I’m a big fan of his and I’ve said it all along,” Aikman said. “He’s a special player. Unfortunately, not enough people recognize that.”

But in Dallas it’s all about Super Bowls and Romo has consistently fallen short in the playoffs. Aikman however thinks Romo can still deliver on the biggest stage.

“The expectations for he and this team have been high ever since [2006],” Aikman said. “I maintain that they’re close. And I know that people keep asking, ‘Hey, can Tony Romo lead this team to a Super Bowl?’ And I believe that he can.

“It’s hard to do. Whether or not he ultimately does it or doesn’t, to me, isn’t really the primary thing. The main thing is you build this team, if you believe that he is capable of doing that, which I believe he is and I believe the Cowboys feel that way as well. Then, you can put the other pieces around him and you have a chance to be really good and really competitive. And I believe that that’s been the case.”