Tony Romo could have been the QB of the Broncos or the Cardinals

It’s difficult to imagine Tony Romo playing for any team but the Dallas Cowboys. When Romo was an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois, though, he had other suitors, including the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals.

Romo obviously hoped to be drafted, but when the seventh round concluded in 2003, his name hadn’t been called. Still, there was interest. According to The MMQB’s Peter King, the Cowboys, Broncos, and Cardinals were all vying for Romo.

Sean Payton was the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach at the time, and he’d been impressed by Romo at the combine.

“I recall we had a fifth-round grade on him,” Payton said, via King. “In the sixth round and seventh round, we debated him as an option but chose other guys. I can imagine his disappointment, sitting home. You know, the neighbors are over, the cheese dip’s gone stale, the neighbors have all gone home. But we really wanted him as a free agent.”

The players the Cowboys chose over Romo in the sixth and seventh rounds were cornerback B.J. Tucker, wide receiver Zuriel Smith, and guard Justin Bates. Tucker has one NFL start under his belt and was out of the league by 2007. Smith had three receptions for the Cowboys for 46 yards, and Bates never saw the field.

Mike Shanahan wanted Romo as a free agent, and so did Dennis Green in Arizona, so the Cowboys had plenty of competition. Romo told King that both the Broncos and the Cardinals were initially more appealing options than Dallas.

”I actually wanted to go to Denver a little bit more, I felt like I had a better chance of making the roster,” Romo said. “The money … Arizona, I believe, offered the most, probably around $20,000 or $25,000, which was like being rich at that time. Denver came in and they were like 15 to 20, but they also had Mike Shanahan who I had strong respect for, and obviously the Cowboys came in.”

The Cowboys were just offering Romo $10,000, but Romo went with his gut instinct and jumped at the opportunity to play for Bill Parcells.

Payton handled the negotiation with Romo, and he felt confident the Cowboys could get Romo at that price.

“I thought we had him. Jerry didn’t want to lose a player we really wanted over $5,000 or $10,000,” Payton said. “I said, ‘Mr. Jones, I think we’ll get him at 10.’ And then Tony said he’d come, and Jerry said to me, ‘I don’t know you too well, but I sure am glad you just saved me $10,000.’”

Romo retires with several Cowboys franchise records, including passing yards with 34,183 and touchdowns with 248. He might have achieved similar success in Denver or Arizona, but deciding to sign with the Cowboys certainly worked out for Romo.