A decade ago, the Cowboys benched quarterback Drew Bledsoe for a guy who had arrived three years earlier as an undrafted rookie out of Eastern Illinois. Moving forward, there’s a chance that Bledsoe and Tony Romo will have something else in common: Both could end up losing a starting franchise-quarterback gig due to injury.
In comments to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Cowboys executive V.P. Stephen Jones didn’t dismiss the possibility of Dak Prescott playing so well that Romo can’t get back on the field after the broken bone in his back heals.
“I can’t imagine a scenario where Tony’s not our quarterback when he’s ready,” Jones said, seemingly closing the door on Prescott taking the job before jamming it open. “But things happen. You know that. You know what happened to Bledsoe and [Tom] Brady. I’m sure Tony’s aware of that. But the reality is Tony’s going to come back for us and play great, we believe.”
Compare Jones mentioning (without prompting) the possibility of Prescott seizing the job to Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s taking-the-Lord’s-name-in-vain reaction to efforts by one of the various reporters assembled for an audience with the Great and Powerful Oz to dare suggest that Jimmy Garoppolo could hold the starting job for even one game beyond Brady’s looming four-game exile. Belichick has completely and totaled ruled out any sort of Brady-Bledsoe dynamic. Jones, while still expressing faith in Romo, surprisingly went there.
And for good reason. As explained on Sunday, the Cowboys eventually have a decision to make about Romo. How well Prescott plays will be a factor. How much Romo makes in comparison will be, too. Whether he ultimately can be relied upon to remain healthy once he gets healthy could be the biggest factor of all.
Speaking of Garoppolo, here’s another chance to provide an answer to Monday’s PFT Live question of the day.
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