What Is Tony Romo's Net Worth and Salary?
Tony Romo is a retired American football player and current television broadcaster who has a net worth of $80 million. Tony Romo established himself as one of the most prominent quarterbacks in Dallas Cowboys history during his 14-season NFL career (2003-2016). After signing as an undrafted free agent from Eastern Illinois University, Romo spent his first three seasons as a backup before taking over as the Cowboys' starting quarterback in 2006.
During his tenure as starter, Romo led the Cowboys to four playoff appearances and became the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards (34,183) and touchdowns (248). He earned four Pro Bowl selections (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014) and garnered a reputation for his improvisational skills and ability to extend plays. His 2014 season was particularly noteworthy, as he led the NFL in completion percentage, passer rating, and yards per attempt. Despite his individual success, Romo's career was marked by both playoff disappointments and injuries. The Cowboys won just two playoff games with him at quarterback, and his career ended prematurely due to recurring back injuries. His most notable playoff setback came in 2007 when he fumbled the hold on a potential game-winning field goal against the Seattle Seahawks.
Following his retirement after the 2016 season, Romo made an immediate and successful transition to broadcasting. He joined CBS Sports as their lead NFL analyst alongside Jim Nantz, where he has earned widespread acclaim for his ability to predict plays before they happen and explain complex football concepts in an engaging way. His broadcasting work has earned him multiple Sports Emmy nominations. His 2020 CBS deal made him one of the highest-paid broadcasters in TV sports history. More details on this contract later in the article.
NFL Salary and Career Earnings
Perhaps most importantly, Tony earned more money than any other undrafted player in NFL history. He was undrafted and earned just $10,000 as a free agent from the Cowboys in 2003. He eventually earned $130 million in NFL salary. That's $40 million more than any other undrafted free agent. He also earned tens of millions more from endorsements.
Broadcasting Salary
After retiring from the league, Tony was hired as an NFL analyst for CBS. For his first few years in the booth, he earned a salary of $4 million per year.
In January 2020, it was rumored that Tony was switching from CBS to ESPN in a deal that would make him the highest-paid sports broadcaster of all time. According to reports, this constituted a potential annual salary of $14-15 million. Previously, Romo had earned $12 million over his three-year CBS contract.
In February 2020, Tony signed a $180-million contract to stay at CBS, dispelling the rumors that he would move to ESPN. The deal comes with a salary of $17 million per year, which made him one of the highest-paid sportscasters in history.
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Early Life
Antonio Ramiro Romo was born on April 21, 1980, in San Diego, California. Raised as a "Navy brat," Tony was born in San Diego because his father was stationed at the Naval Base there. The family then relocated to Burlington, Wisconsin, where his father became a carpenter and construction worker. During his childhood, Tony fell in love with baseball and became part of the Little League All-Star team.
Romo's football journey began in high school. After becoming the starting quarterback for the team, Tony received several honors. During this period, he also played basketball, tennis, and golf for his high school before graduating in 1998. Romo attended Eastern Illinois University and played for the NCAA Division I-AA Panthers. He immediately became an efficient quarterback at the college level, and he led the league for passing efficiency. He finished his college football days with a number of honors, including OVC Player of the Year and All-America honors.
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
NFL Career
Tony Romo's NFL career started slow, as he was undrafted in 2003. However, it was clear that the Cowboys wanted him, and they managed to sign him as an undrafted rookie despite competition from the Broncos. He started as their third-choice quarterback, and it was only due to Quincy Carter's substance abuse controversy that he avoided being released. In 2004 and 2005, Romo mostly played not as a quarterback but as a holder for placekicks. However, a bright moment came in 2004 when he rushed for the winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders.
By 2005, Romo had become the Cowboys' second-choice quarterback. In 2006, he served as a backup for Drew Bledsoe and experienced gametime here and there. By the end of the season, he was leading the Cowboys to wins against the Colts and the Buccaneers. By 2007, Romo had become the team's starting quarterback, and he signed a $67.5-million contract extension.
Over the next ten seasons, Tony would continue to play well and receive praise from multiple sources. His performances allowed him to sign brand endorsement deals, and one of the most notable examples came in 2008 with a 5-year, $10-million deal with the brand Starter. He suffered a number of injuries during this period, such as broken ribs, broken clavicles, punctured lungs, herniated discs, and more. Despite criticisms of his playoff form, Romo signed another 6-year contract extension with the Cowboys in 2013 worth $108 million. In 2017, he retired from the NFL at the age of 37.
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Broadcasting Career
Although many observers questioned Tony Romo's almost instantaneous ascent to the position of lead color analyst for NFL broadcasts at CBS Sports, he quickly proved his worth. By 2017, he was winning widespread critical praise for his incredible ability to read and predict plays before they happened. Not only did Tony predict plays with exceptional accuracy, but he also connected with audiences in a way that his predecessors hadn't done.
(Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage)
Relationships
Romo was famously in a relationship with Jessica Simpson from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, Tony began dating Candice Crawford, a former Miss Missouri and a journalist who at the time was working for the Dallas Cowboys. Candice is the younger sister of actor Chace Crawford. Candice and Tony married in May 2011 and today they have three children.
Real Estate
In 2008, Tony Romo had purchased a rather modest home in Valley Ranch, Irving, Texas. He paid just $699,000 for the house. Due to lackluster features like black tile floors and questionable decor choices, it was widely assumed that this purchase represented a long-term investment rather than an actual living space for the NFL star. In 2016, he sold the 5,551-square-foot home for $1.05 million, earning a significant return on his initial investment.
Today, Tony's primary mansion is a custom-built 30,000-square-foot palace in an exclusive Dallas neighborhood called Glen Abbey.
