The Dallas Cowboys are going to leave the locker of retired quarterback Tony Romo open and his number unused for the upcoming 2017 NFL season. The move has stirred up mixed opinions around the league considering the rookie season starting quarterback Dak Prescott had this past year. Romo has seemingly moved on to the world of media by accepting a job as the lead commentator for the NFL on CBS.
Dak Prescott's youth and capabilities
The Dallas Cowboys had a spectacular 2016-17 season. They witnessed their rookie QB and rookie RB put on good enough performances to almost winning the NFL's MVP award.
Dak Prescott, in particular, gave the Cowboys new life at the QB position at a time Tony Romo continued to battle injuries that kept him off of the football field. In a tough spot, Jerry Jones had to put his trust in the young Prescott to play the most important position in football at the highest level.
Dak stepped up to the plate and was explosive! He performed so well that it made it tough for Jerry Jones to bench him for Tony Romo when he became healthy. Prescott's performance led the Cowboys to a first place finish in the NFC with a 13-3 record. However, when they got to the playoffs, they were eliminated in their first game by the Green Bay Packers.
Why Jerry Jones can't let Romo go
The Cowboys early elimination from the 2017 NFL playoffs after a spectacular season was a disappointment.
A story the Cowboys have known too well since their years of dominance during the 1990s. When Tony Romo took over the starting quarterback role during the 2006 season, the Cowboys had gone several years without making a playoff appearance.
Tony Romo came and changed that with his gutsy playmaking abilities and his leadership on and off the field.
Even though he struggled to win in big games, he took pride in wearing the silver and blue. The Cowboys are often referred to as "America's team." So the pressure on being the leader of the franchise is rather high in the eyes of owner Jerry Jones. Although Romo was never able to win an NFL championship with the Cowboys, his name alone was enough to give the team hope every season he played.
That statement alone makes it difficult for Jerry Jones to be all the way comfortable with the departure of his longtime QB.
Romo locker situation could be a good thing
The fact that Jerry Jones has left Tony Romo's locker open could be a good thing for the young Dak Prescott in his sophomore season. It's hard to believe that Prescott would have had the rookie season he had if Romo was off of the roster. The pressure of possibly surrendering a starting spot will bring out the best in most players. With Romo's locker remaining open and keeping the speculation of a possible return in the atmosphere, Dak can't afford to have a sophomore slump if he wants to remain the QB of the future for the Dallas Cowboys.
