Tony Romo attended golf tournament before OWI arrest

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo was arrested on Thursday evening in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI), hours after completing the final round of the 125th Wisconsin Amateur Championship in West Bend.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office stopped Romo while he was driving southbound on Interstate 43 shortly after 6 p.m. local time, according to an arrest detention report. Authorities reported that he performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests. The report does not indicate whether Romo submitted to a breath test to determine his blood-alcohol concentration. He was arrested at approximately 6:15 p.m., booked into jail around 9:45 p.m., and released at about 11 p.m. the very same night.

Romo participated in the Wisconsin Amateur Championship before the arrest, finishing tied for 73rd place after shooting 35-over par. His tournament included rounds of 79, 78, 80, and 82, with a 12-over score in the final round. Spencer Turtz won the event at 3-over par. A Burlington, Wisconsin native who played golf, football, and basketball in high school, Romo described the tournament during the event as a “true test” that exposes players’ weaknesses.

During the championship, Romo also took time to interact with spectators, including showing a young fan several quarterback drills after one of his rounds.

Romo received a court date of Sept. 21, which falls six days before he is scheduled to work CBS’ broadcast of the Ravens-Cowboys game in Brazil. Under Wisconsin law, a first-time OWI offense is generally not a criminal charge and typically carries a fine ranging from $150 to $300, along with a $435 OWI surcharge.

CBS declined to comment on the arrest, according to The Athletic. Romo is expected to remain the network’s lead NFL color analyst entering his 10th season with CBS and is still scheduled to open the 2026 season alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.

Before transitioning to broadcasting following his retirement, Romo spent his entire NFL career with the Cowboys after entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and finished his playing career as the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes.