Always the dreamer, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has no regrets about throwing Tony Romo back into action this year after the quarterback broke his clavicle in Week 2.
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (via the team’s website), Jones conveyed his thoughts on the decision, noting that, while the team was 2-7 when Romo came back, there was still a small chance the Cowboys could pull off a dream finish to the season.
“We felt the risk was worth the potential for having him be the impact he can be and really having a fairy tale turnaround and doing something that was special. And to me, that’s what we’re about, that’s what sports is about. You shouldn’t ever quit trying to do something extraordinary.”
Rather than act as a catalyst for a dream season, Romo re-injured his clavicle on Thanksgiving day against the Carolina Panthers and is now out for the season.
That said, nobody could have known this would happen, and it’s not like Jones pushed Romo back into action. The quarterback is, like all professional athletes, ridiculously competitive and wanted to return to action. And Romo, just like Jones, appeared to be shooting for a dream-scenario finish to the season when he sent out a video message on Twitter to his millions of followers.
Unfortunately, instead of a sweet dream, the 2015 season has been nothing short of nightmarish for Jones, Romo and the Cowboys.
“I had a nightmare last night and I was hoping when I woke up this morning it was just that,” Jones said.
Picked by many NFL experts as the team to beat in the NFC this season, injuries to Romo, receiver Dez Bryant and other key players derailed the team’s chances early on. And, despite what many thought was a deep roster, the poor quarterback play of Matt Cassel and Brandon Weeden doomed the Cowboys to seven straight losses before Romo was able to stop the bleeding in Week 11 with win No. 3 on the year.
After his latest injury, though, nobody should be surprised if the Cowboys are picking in the top 5 next April when the 2016 NFL Draft begins in Chicago.