For Dallas Cowboys fans who suffered through a terrible 4-12 season in 2015, seeing a healthy Tony Romo take the practice field has to be a sight for sore eyes.
Nevertheless, a picture of the quarterback running out to the Cowboys’ practice field Saturday was tweeted by Dallas Morning News reporter Jon Machota and showed what looked like an overweight Romo. The internet immediately went insane, with fans posting memes and comments galore.
Thankfully, Romo appears to have a good sense of humor regarding unflattering photos like this one, since he simply laughed it off.
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“I don’t think you have a future in photography,” Romo told Machota on Monday after the Cowboys’ training camp practice in Oxnard, Calif.
The picture seems to have caught Romo, 36, at a bad angle. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday that Romo is in great shape.
“I think he’s in some of the best shape he’s been in,” Jones said. “Everybody can always get a picture taken of you that makes it look different than it is.”
Romo played in just four games last year due to a broken clavicle.
“I think I’ve gone through enough criticism at different times in my career that that’s the least of my worries,” Romo said on Monday. “Granted, if I was that big, I think we’d have to have some talks. I think I’m going to be all right.”
This is not the first time an NFL player has been shown to be overweight in a photo. Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy was called fat by many after a photo of him in training camp surfaced during his rookie season in 2013. A photo of New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick also surfaced last month that showed him with friends at a golf club in New Jersey.
They say the camera adds 10 pounds, and although one shouldn’t always take that to be literally true, body distortions can often appear in photos.
“I hope they don’t take any pictures of me,” Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said after confirming Romo is in great shape. “I don’t think anyone would be interested in me. I’d be embarrassed. They could shoot a lot of holes in my beauty. I stay in my lane, try to take care of myself and stay out of pictures if I can.”
Cowboys great and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin also commented on the photo of Romo, and Yahoo! senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson relayed his comment in a tweet on Saturday.
Hopefully, that should be a credible enough source to put the franchise’s fans at ease.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 20: Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before the start of a football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 20, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images)
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