Tony Romo
An undrafted quarterback who rewrote the Dallas Cowboys record books with his improvisational genius and late-game daring.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American football player and television analyst·Birthday: April 21·Generation X
Biography
Tony Romo's story is a classic American sports fairy tale: the undrafted free agent from Eastern Illinois who seized his moment and never let go. Taking over as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback in 2006, he immediately injected the team with a swashbuckling, unpredictable energy. Romo played the position like a jazz musician, famous for his ability to extend plays, scramble out of pressure, and deliver improbable passes. While postseason success remained just out of reach, his regular-season brilliance was undeniable, as he shattered franchise passing records. His career, often punctuated by dramatic comebacks and heart-breaking injuries, transitioned seamlessly into broadcasting, where his pre-snap play predictions for CBS Sports have made him one of the most insightful analysts in football.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tony was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Tony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds multiple Dallas Cowboys franchise records, including career passing yards (34,183) and passing touchdowns (248).
- Selected to the Pro Bowl four times (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014).
- Won the Walter Payton Award in 2002 as the top player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Did You Know?
He was a standout golfer in high school and has competed in PGA Tour events on sponsor exemptions.
Romo married CBS television personality Candice Crawford, the sister of model Chace Crawford.
He famously called his own plays during games, often audibling at the line of scrimmage.
“I think pressure is a privilege. It only comes to those who earn it.”
