Tony Romo: Dak Prescott Has Earned Right To Start

Tony Romo is one of the most accomplished leaders in Dallas Cowboys history and his concession speech is yet another outstanding moment in his career.

The Dallas Cowboys are 8-1 and own the best record in football. It’s incredible to look at how they have beaten some difficult teams with a rookie quarterback under center, but Dak Prescott has poise beyond his years.

Ezekiel Elliott had more than 200 yards from scrimmage and the game-winning touchdown in the Cowboys 35-30 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but Prescott held things together by engineering drives against two-time Super Bowl champ Ben Roethlisberger.

On Tuesday after the Week 10 win, though, Romo held a surprise press-conference. And in quite the eloquent manner, the quarterback basically conceded the race to Prescott:

Tony Romo is healthy enough to play after missing 10 weeks with a broken bone in his back. But he has confirmed himself that he will the backup going forward.

Previously, the Cowboys left things somewhat open by saying that Prescott has the “hot hand” at the moment, but Romo did a classy job of putting it beyond all doubt. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys could change their minds if Prescott struggles. At this rate, though, I doubt that happens.

Romo made the above quote at a prepared press conference and read a statement. He made it clear that he would not be taking any questions and this was definitely the most appropriate course of action.

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It’s fair to wonder what the future holds for Romo, because Prescott is both the present and future in Dallas. Should he desire to keep playing despite all the serious injuries and hits he’s been dealt over his career, I’m sure several teams would be interested in fielding a top-10 quarterback. Romo’s accuracy, toughness, and improvisational skills are well-documented, but maybe his ability to lead a team with humility and grace is what sets him apart from similarly-skilled quarterbacks.