Voice of the NFL Tony Romo on dealing with trolls, Travis Kelce's future... and why he's 'optimistic' for his beloved Cowboys

It's been eight years since Tony Romo began his broadcasting career for CBS - and quickly became a hit amongst NFL fans.  

'I feel like when I first came in, I kind of wanted to do things a little different, and I think we did a good job, basically being me and trusting my instincts,' he exclusively told the Daily Mail of his clairvoyant broadcasting style.

'And you never know how it’s gonna go, but it was a home run. And I think that kind of set the tone, just for my baseline about who I’m going to be as an analyst and broadcaster.'

Romo, formerly a Pro Bowl passer for the Dallas Cowboys, jumped right into a career as a star analyst, earning plaudits for his ability to predict plays before they unfolded. He's been part of CBS' furniture since then, settling in alongside the legendary Jim Nantz and calling three Super Bowls for the network.

But, as is the case with virtually all broadcasters, he wasn't immune from facing blowback.

For some, the novelty of his play-tipping wore off, while others criticized his call of the Chiefs' walk-off touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII.

Everyone's got an opinion, really. But you don't spend 13 seasons leading 'America's Team' without developing some thick skin.

'I've had so much positive reinforcement when I played quarterback, and then you have a ton of negative - and it's all warranted,' he said, while promoting Skechers'  Hands Free Slip-ins.

'Because it's like, you're in the public eye [as a broadcaster] and you're doing something that many people watch, and your job is to take that and use it as a tool to improve and just keep trying to improve and be at your best. And we did that. We had a great year last year.'

Romo, 45, said there has been a process of 'trial and error' when it comes to his broadcasting career, but added he's been approached by an 'overwhelming' amount of people on the street singing CBS' praises. His affability jumped off the screen of our Zoom interview, when he jokingly asked if scribbles on a boardroom whiteboard behind this reporter were a product of him drawing up plays.

'There's so many notes over the years, honestly, that I’ve taken. It's like one of those things where there's not a scoreboard… my job is to literally make people at home enjoy it and get the most out of the experience,' Romo continued.

'And I work really hard at that, because I know how important these games are, and I also know how important it is to the players, the coaches, everyone in the organization. I mean, these are huge games.'

The spectacle of the NFL has only stretched further since Romo stepped away from the game.

The league is staging a record seven international games in 2025 - bringing the sport to Australia and Brazil - while the sport's expanded holiday schedule has placed added physical stress on certain teams in exchange for eyeballs.

As a former star player and current voice of one the league's main rights holders,  Romo occupies a delicate yet useful position when it comes to discussing the league's new innovations.

The possibility of an 18-game season in the future?

'I kind of live in the moment, if I'm being honest,' he demurred. 

'... But you gotta remember, there was a 14-game season way back in the day, and then it went to 16. Now it's 17. And I'm like... if the NFL is going to make a lot more money for something, and the player safety data shows you that it's OK, that's kind of how they make their decisions.'

The TV demands asked of the league's top teams, which saw the Chiefs, Ravens, Texans and Steelers play three games in 11 days last winter?

'Well, ultimately it's a business, and I think what happens is - you remember years ago, they wouldn't play games on these days... and then you're like, well, Christmas landed here, and the numbers get big,' Romo said.

'So the players sometimes don't always recognize that that's what makes the salary cap go up. That's why they get paid more money. It's a win in so many ways for everyone associated with the National Football League.'

That sentiment hasn't always been echoed when it comes to the league's scheduling quirks.

When Travis Kelce and the Chiefs learned in May that they'd be beginning their season in Sao Paulo against the Chargers - a game they lost 21-27 on Friday night -the tight end initially complained on his 'New Heights' podcast of having to deal with the 'f***ing heat' there.

He later U-turned and praised the 'beautiful city,' but the remarks hit home for Romo after his 13-year career.

'Travis is a wily vet and so for him, every vet in the National Football League would like to be at home and just do the normal routine,' he said.

'And when you're young, you don't know any different. In the NFL, you're just trying to stay above the water. It's just one of those things where he knows the game. He knows all these little things.'

Of course, Romo picked up a thing or two from his time in Dallas, which is setting up for what feels to be a pivotal year - even given the typically enormous weight of expectations in the Big D.

There's a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer, Dak Prescott is the highest-paid quarterback in the league and the NFC East feels especially loaded after the Eagles' Super Bowl and Commanders' rapid progression under Jayden Daniels (surely, the Giants will win more than three games too).

But - perhaps going against the grain of many Cowboys fans - Romo said he was 'cautiously optimistic' going into this next season. 

Speaking ahead of a narrow 20-24 Week 1 loss to the Eagles (and also before the team's blockbuster trade of Micah Parsons), the four-time Pro Bowler gushed about the team's trade for wideout George Pickens and said they had a 'great draft' after bolstering their offensive and defensive lines.

'There is excitement there. It's tempered a little bit because of the other teams, but I do think they have an opportunity to have some big-time success,' he said.

Of course, for all of the Cowboys' potential improvements around the edges, their hopes will still largely hinge on the play of Prescott, whose $60million average yearly contract is the highest in the NFL.

Prescott played just eight games last year due to a hamstring injury - and was below his best before being sidelined - but Romo sounded confident his ex-teammate could come back stronger this year.

'He's always been a great leader. That's one of his special qualities, is his ability to rally the troops, and he will lay it on the line. He will give you everything he has. 

'And that's one of the key things I want from a quarterback. If I was the head coach running a team, would be: this guy has to have an intestinal fortitude, and a mental approach that's above the fray. 

'You've got to be willing to put your body on the line, put your heart, your brain, everything to win,' he continued. 'And Dak has done that. It's just they just haven't quite got over the hump yet. But that's true of everyone, until they do.'

That quest for the team's first title since 1985 will be made more difficult in an improved NFC East, and without their defensive star in Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Green Bay Packers ahead of the season.

Romo called the Eagles a 'monster,' said the Commanders have one of the league's 'most talented quarterbacks' in Jayden Daniels and even called Jaxson Dart a 'home run pick' by New York.

Dallas ultimately has to go through their division foes, but Romo thinks they're up to the task.

'It's just going to be harder because of the division, but that's what makes you great. You have to go improve, and I think they did that.'