Tony Romo To Wear Back Brace, Dak Prescott Probable Cowboys Starting QB

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett announced Saturday that starting quarterback Tony Romo underwent an MRI on Friday that revealed a broken bone in his back, according to David Helman of the team’s official website.

Tony Romo To Wear Back Brace, Dak Prescott Probable Cowboys Starting QB

Garrett called Romo “day-to-day” and was unwilling to give a timetable for his return. However, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport stated that the quarterback’s “best-case scenario” is returning by mid-season after suffering a compression fracture of his vertebrae, per a source familiar with the situation.

Most media reports are predicting Romo could miss 6-10 weeks, although members of the organization remain hopeful for a 4-6 week recovery.

As a means to help Romo in his recovery, the 36-year-old QB will be wearing a back brace for support over the next few weeks.

“He just going to start getting into rehab and part of his rehab,” Garrett said. “He’s going to be wearing a back brace for now and so you’ll see him around wearing that and again we’ll take his situation day by day like we do with every guy on our team and every injury that we have. He’ll do the things that he’s capable of doing and won’t do the things he’s not capable of doing and hopefully he’ll progress every day.”

The injury is not identical to what Romo suffered in 2014 when a knee to the back against the Redskins broke his transverse process bone. He was able to return to the game in the second half, then missed the following game against the Cardinals, and finally returned two weeks later.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones described the loss of Romo as “a punch to the gut,” and told the Dallas Morning News the team is open to potentially acquiring another quarterback.

Romo was injured three plays into Thursday’s 27-17 preseason loss to the Seahawks, barely moving and clutching his back in pain after taking a hit from behind from defensive end Cliff Avril. Despite lobbying to return, Romo was quickly removed from the lineup in favor of Dak Prescott, who could potentially start for Dallas for the team’s Sept. 11 regular-season opener at home against the Giants.

Before that game, the Cowboys have one preseason game remaining, a home matchup against the Texans on Thursday night. Prescott, a promising 23-year-old, was selected by the Cowboys as a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State earlier this year. He currently leads the NFL in completion percentage (78 percent), passing yards (454), passing touchdowns (5) and quarterback rating (137.8). Nevertheless, Dallas remains aware that the young QB still needs more development.

“We’re not naive enough to think that a rookie QB can come in here and do what (Romo has) done in the preseason,” Jones told KDFW-TV in Dallas. “But at the same time, I think he makes our team feel good and he’s got a great chemistry with the offensive group.”

Jones added that Romo is intent on not seeing a repeat of 2015 play out.

“He’s certainly not deterred,” Jones said. He feels like it’s going to be different. That he can get through this.

“He also feels very confident our team can win games without him while he’s not here. He’s driven to help Dak [Prescott] win football games for us so when he gets back we have a great chance to have a great season, get in the tournament and contend for a championship, nothing’s changed.”

The Cowboys could also turn to first-year Jamiell Showers, 24, as a potential quarterback. Showers was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2015 out of the University of Texas at El Paso.

SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 25: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on August 25, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)