Newly released body camera footage captures former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo’s July 23 traffic stop and arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated on a Milwaukee interstate.
Romo, 46, a Burlington, Wisconsin, native, was pulled over around 6:15-6:18 p.m. on southbound Interstate 43 near the high-rise bridge and Marquette Interchange. A Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office deputy said she stopped his vehicle for unsafe passing on the right and lane deviation during heavy rush-hour traffic, with the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and passing other cars.
Bodycame footage of Tony Romo’s OWI (operating while intoxicated) arrest.
Romo has a hard time hearing the deputy and says he was on his way from the golf course to “grandma and grandpa’s house.” pic.twitter.com/t9xhHDvBbr
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) July 29, 2026
In the footage, Romo appears surprised by the stop. He tells the female deputy he lives in Dallas, was coming from a golf event (reports link it to the Wisconsin State Amateur Golf Championship), and was heading to his grandparents’ or parents’ house. When asked how much he had to drink, he replies “zero.”
The deputy instructs him to step out for field sobriety testing. Romo repeatedly asks to call his lawyer and begins recording the encounter on his iPhone. After a back-and-forth, he exits the vehicle and asks, “Because I’m coming from a golf course you think I’m drunk?”
The deputy detains him, places him in handcuffs, and transports him to a safer location — the Milwaukee County Jail sally port — for testing. She cites his “red glassy eyes,” the odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage on his breath, and the discovery of unopened alcohol shooters in his bag. Romo notes that the drive aggravated previous back injuries and asks to stretch, using the front of the squad car. He acknowledges past head injuries and concussions from his playing days but says none were recent.
Here's Romo's Field Sobriety Test where officers found "shooters" in his possession and he was booked for an OWI after denying a breathalyzer.
(via @CollinRugg) https://t.co/wtpQdgYe3M pic.twitter.com/DovrJvt8oX
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) July 29, 2026
Footage and a related search warrant show Romo struggling with the standardized field sobriety tests. He has difficulty keeping balance, stops walking, starts too soon, misses heel-to-toe steps, and makes an improper turn. At points he appears confused by the instructions, saying there were “too many,” and asks if he passed. He declines a preliminary breath test, stating, “Oh no. We’re not doing that. I’ve heard from multiple lawyers don’t ever do that.” He also refuses a blood sample, again requesting his lawyer.
Romo was booked on a first-offense OWI citation and released later that night. Court records also show a citation for refusing an intoxication test after arrest. In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI is typically treated as a traffic violation rather than a criminal charge and can carry a fine of $150 to $300. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has filed a notice of intent to revoke his license. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 21.
Romo has not publicly commented on the incident. CBS has indicated it stands by him, viewing the matter as an isolated lapse, with his long-term contract intact; reports suggest he may keep a lower profile in the short term ahead of the NFL season.
Romo played for the Cowboys from 2004 to 2016, earning four Pro Bowl selections, before joining CBS as a lead NFL analyst.
