Former Cowboys’ quarterback Troy Aikman criticized current Dallas signal caller Tony Romo for saying he doesn’t worry about how he or his actions are publicly perceived.
“I think maybe things happened so quickly for Tony in terms of obscurity to all of a sudden national spotlight that he hasn’t fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about,” Aikman said to Irvin. “And you don’t go to Cabo the week before a playoff game. You just don’t do it.
“It didn’t take away from his preparations. I know that. I mean, everything he says is I think accurate. I don’t think that had any bearing.
“But to say, ‘I don’t worry about perception,’ you better worry about perception, because it’s a big part of making it through some very difficult times.”
Romo famously vacationed in Cabo San Lucas with girlfriend Jessica Simpson during the bye week before last year’s NFL playoffs.
I think Romo is at a crossroads right now in his career. He knows he’s talented enough to get by, but seems to lack the focus and drive to take it to that next step. A lot of players want to get by on their talent alone and it’s not until later in their careers when they realize they have to do that little extra in order to become great.
Romo is a very likeable player and outside of playing for the Cowboys (who are shoved down everyone’s throats by the NFL Network every day), he’s easy to root for. Hopefully he takes Aikman’s (who knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl, although I don’t know if he has the right to tell Romo how to spend his personal time) comments in stride and turns this offseason into a positive. If not, he seems to have already hit his ceiling in terms of potential.
