When Tony Romo signed his six-year, $108 million extension with the Dallas Cowboys in March, owner Jerry Jones reportedly received a promise from the quarterback that he'd spend "Peyton Manning-type time" at the team facility.
Romo told NBC on Sunday night that wasn't the case.
"I think that was wrong," Romo said during a 24-20 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins, per The Dallas Morning News. "(Jones) didn't want me to spend more time at the facility, I mean, I wear the facility out. He asked me if I wanted to spend more time in the coaches' meetings, something I've never been able to do before. I told him, 'Yeah.' I thought that was a positive for us as a football team."
In April, Jones told ESPN: "Tony is going to have more time, more presence. Not only ... in the offseason but when the season starts, beginning Mondays, assuming we played Sundays, he's going to have more time on the job. A part of what we agreed with, was extra time on the job, beyond the norm."
This boils down to a case of semantics. Jones -- who would benefit the Cowboys by talking less -- just wants his quarterback to make football his top priority. Romo has taken an enthusiastic approach to his expanded role planning the offense and even acknowledged this summer he'd like to be a coordinator when his playing days are over.
We all know how Romo will be judged by outsiders: Not by the hours he logs behind closed doors, but by the victories he amasses on the field. In the end, that's really what Jones is referring to.
The Around The League Podcast is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.
