Tony Romo admits ‘over-reliance on alcohol’ after pleading no contest to impaired driving

Tony Romo said Tuesday that pain caused by his career as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys led to “an over-reliance on alcohol.”

Romo, an NFL analyst for CBS, posted the admission on Instagram after he pleaded no contest to operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

“This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin,” Romo wrote. “I own this completely.”

“Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain,” he said. “That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”

Romo, 46, “performed poorly” during a July traffic stop in Milwaukee and was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated.

As part of his plea, Romo’s driving privileges will be revoked for six months, and he will pay a $748 fine, according to court documents.

The arrest led to his prompt suspension by CBS, where he had joined the network’s top NFL broadcast booth after he retired following 13 seasons with the Cowboys. CBS elevated former NFL star defender J.J. Watt to take his place.

Last month, CBS…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business