Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Dilemma: Alex Smith Vs Tony Romo

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Potential Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tony Romo
Potential Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tony Romo. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Options

Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys

One of the more popular names being linked to the Kansas City Chiefs right now is Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Romo has been the golden boy of owner Jerry Jones for a long time, but now things have changed. With the emergence of Dak Prescott, Romo has become not just expendable, but a financial burden.

From 2011-2014, Tony Romo was one of the absolute best regular season quarterbacks in the NFL. During that time, he was considered to have one of the best arms in the NFL. Romo comes with a bit of a “gun-slinger” mentality, but still maintains a high completion percentage. Big numbers have come with Romo’s performances over the years.

There are a few negatives to Tony Romo though. Most pressing is the fact that he has suffered four major injuries in the past several years. This includes broken bones in his back twice, a broken collarbone, and a shoulder injury. All of these issues, plus his age (37 in April) are causes for doubt. Romo also has a poor record in the postseason, and has a reputation for struggling in key games.

Tony Romo appears to be on board with heading to Kansas City according to reports attributed to CBS. When asked, Chiefs GM John Dorsey refused to offer any kind of comment on Romo, but did state that Alex Smith is still the starter.

The Numbers

2013: 342/535 (63.9%)  3,828 yds; 31 TDs; 10 INTs; 20 carries 38 yds; 0 TD

2014: 304/435 (69.9%)  3,705 yds; 34 TDs; 9 INTs; 26 carries 61 yds; 0 TD

2015: 83/121 (68.6%)  884 yds; 5 TDs; 7 INTs; 4 carries 13 yds; 0 TD

2016: 3/4 (75%)  29 yds; 1 TDs; 0 INTs; 0 carries 0 yds; 0 TD

The Contract

One of the biggest challenges in acquiring Tony Romo is the cost of the transaction. Not only are you adding some big salary numbers, but there is also the question of trade compensation. The Cowboys have made it clear they are not just letting Romo walk away. It will be a sizable price tag for a guy who will be 37 years old and has major injuries in each of the past few years.