Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is turning to faith and accountability after pleading no contest to an operating-while-intoxicated charge, saying he must “own” his mistakes “to the Lord” as he confronts his dependence on alcohol that followed years of chronic pain. Romo called the incident a “personal failure,” and said he's taking “full responsibility” while working with doctors to make changes in his life.
In a message posted on Instagram Tuesday, Romo publicly addressed his legal troubles for the first time since his July arrest, acknowledging that he had pleaded no contest to the Wisconsin charge. “This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin,” Romo wrote.
“I own this completely.” “Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain,” Romo explained. “That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.” Romo stressed, however, that the circumstances behind his alcohol dependence don't excuse his actions.
“As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility,” he wrote. “That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward.” “That path requires honesty,” he added. “None of this is an excuse.
These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.” Romo reflected on how "The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant." He assured his fans that his challenges have required him to "confront and own my mistakes fully—to the Lord, to myself, to my family, and now to the public."