Full Breakdown
Tony Romo Arrested for Operating While Intoxicated in Milwaukee
7/30/2026, 12:35:40 AM
Core Event: OWI Stop and Arrest
On July 23, Milwaukee County sheriff’s deputies stopped former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee. Romo was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI), cited for refusing a breath test, and taken to a police station for standardized field-sobriety tests, which the video shows he performed poorly. He was released after the arrest and given a court appearance scheduled for September 21.
Background & Context
Romo, 46, retired from the NFL in 2017 after a 13-year career with the Cowboys and has been a lead NFL analyst for CBS since then. A Wisconsin native, he was returning from the Wisconsin Amateur Championship golf tournament when the stop occurred. He had been slated to compete in the M&P Group Texas State Open but withdrew following the incident.
Data & Statistics
- Open-container citation: $267 fine.
- Unsafe-passing citation: $235 fine.
- OWI citation: $1,066 fine.
- Refusal-to-test citation: separate fine; total cited fines reported as $1,568.
- First-offense OWI penalty in Wisconsin: typically a traffic ticket with a fine of $150-$300.
- Potential license consequence: a one-year revocation is possible for refusing a breath test.
Official Statements & Responses
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office released copies of the three citations, confirming the open-container violation and the unsafe-passing observation, and filed a notice of intent to revoke Romo’s driver’s license under Wisconsin’s implied-consent law. CBS has not issued an official comment on the arrest.
On-the-Ground Reports
Body-camera footage obtained by multiple outlets shows Romo telling the deputy he was coming from a golf course and heading to his grandparents’ house. When asked how many drinks he had, Romo replied “Zero.” He repeatedly requested to call his lawyer and asked to record the encounter on his phone. During the field-sobriety tests, Romo struggled with the eye-tracking and walk-and-turn components, citing prior back surgeries as a factor. The deputy informed him that a search warrant would be obtained for a mandatory blood draw.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total monetary penalty. Individual citation amounts sum to $1,568 according to one report, while others list each fine separately without a combined total. No blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) result has been released, and the arrest report does not indicate whether a blood sample was ever obtained, leaving the actual level of intoxication unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m going to call my lawyer … if that’s okay.” — Tony Romo
Why It Matters
The arrest carries a potential one-year driver’s-license suspension, which could affect Romo’s ability to travel for his broadcasting duties. CBS executives have indicated that, despite the incident, Romo is expected to remain on the network’s NFL broadcast team, suggesting the professional impact may be limited to a short-term reputational issue.
