Greatness Eludes Tony Romo for the Last Time
The end of Tony Romo's career -- and make no mistake, it is the end -- serves up a vivid reminder of a hard, cold truth about professional sports: Greatness remains a truly elusive thing. This looked like the year, but a validating Super Bowl is all but out of reach now. It is worth noting how difficult greatness truly is to wrestle from the games our most gifted athletes play.
The Reality of a Career Cut Short
Tony Romo is 36 years old. His latest injury seems like a further curse against one of this generation's greatest quarterbacks who will accomplish nothing, not really, not in the context of his otherwise stellar career. Romo has been ailed with bad luck, missed extra-point holds, injuries -- snakebit in a sport where even a little venom is enough to undermine an uber-talent's possibilities. The Romo era has drawn to a close.
A 36-year-old quarterback with a history of back issues cannot and should not be counted on when he breaks a bone in his back in a random preseason play. It is simply, and unfairly, another illustration of his wasted time in the league. The end is nigh.
Elite Performance and Statistical Greatness
You doubt his greatness? You see the long line of what-could-have-beens as proof of some sort to weakness? Friendly reminder: Romo is third all-time in quarterback rating, ahead of Steve Young, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Joe Montana and just about every other man who has ever helmed an NFL team's offense. He is 16th all-time in game-winning drives, and his passing-touchdown percentage is the same as Peyton Manning's.
Tony Romo Career Statistics and Milestones
| Metric | Statistic or Rank |
|---|---|
| Quarterback Rating | 3rd all-time |
| Game-winning Drives | 16th all-time |
| Seasons in NFL | 12 seasons |
| Playoff Appearances | 4 times |
| Postseason Wins | 2 games |
| Postseason TD/INT Ratio | 4-to-1 |
The Thin Margin of Success
It is a small thing, the thin margin between exquisite accomplishment and a player with a very, very good career. Most great players who excel as clearly as Romo has eventually break through. However, that will not be true for Romo. He will not win the validating Super Bowl that so many greats have achieved. The Tony Romo era in Dallas looks finished; it is a real, true shame.