“Personal failure”: Tony Romo reportedly admits alcohol problem after pleading no contest to OWI charge

Married to Texas-based model Candice Crawford, former NFL star Tony Romo, who was taken into custody on an OWI charge in July 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recently released a statement on Instagram admitting he had a drinking problem.

According to CNN, Tony Romo, who pleaded no contest to his OWI charge, shared a long statement on September 1, 2026, in which he not only admitted to having a problem with alcohol, but also mentioned sacrifices he made in life and how football taught him important things like facing failure with complete honesty and staying strong and motivated throughout life.

As the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Romo talked about "personal failure" in his statement; he also mentioned how several back surgeries ended his career and how he relied on alcohol to deal with pain. While he began his Instagram statement by mentioning how football as a sport became the primary reason behind shaping every meaningful aspect of his life, Tony Romo noted:

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

Then talking about football, Romo said:

"Playing taught me the power of relationships, the strength of a team and the toughness to face failure head-on with honesty, resilience and the determination to do better."

Mentioning his surgeries and alcohol problems, Tony added:

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

After admitting his alcohol problem, Tony Romo talks about teaching his children an important lesson

After addressing the OWI charge in Wisconsin and his drinking problem, Tony Romo, who is an NFL analyst at CBS Sports, talked about how he taught his three kids a crucial lesson, which involves taking complete responsibility for one's actions. Tony wrote:

"As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility. That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward."

He added:

"That path requires honesty. None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them."

Check out Tony Romo's Instagram post below:

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