Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence in Milwaukee on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

According to an arrest report from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Romo was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43 — specifically on the Hoan Bridge, a high-rise bridge spanning Milwaukee's harbor (FOX6 Milwaukee). The report states that Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests, was taken into custody, booked, and later released.

WISN 12 News, a Milwaukee ABC affiliate, obtained the arrest report from the sheriff's office (WISN 12). The Guardian and The Athletic both published corroborating reports on July 24 (The Guardian; The Athletic). The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office also released a booking photo of Romo to media outlets, according to FOX 11 Green Bay (FOX 11).

Romo, 46, was in Wisconsin to compete in the annual Wisconsin Amateur Championship, a golf event that drew the former NFL star to the Milwaukee area. The intersection of a high-profile golf appearance and an overnight traffic stop on one of the city's most recognizable bridges quickly drew national attention.

In Wisconsin, a first-offense OWI (operating while intoxicated — the state's term for what many call a DUI) is classified as a civil violation rather than a criminal charge. The typical penalty runs $150 to $300 in fines. Romo has a court appearance scheduled for September 21.

Romo spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, retiring after the 2016 season as the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He transitioned quickly into broadcasting, landing the lead NFL analyst role at CBS Sports, where he has worked alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz since 2017. He has become one of the most recognizable voices in football coverage, known for his ability to anticipate plays before they unfold.

CBS Sports has not publicly commented on the arrest as of this reporting. Romo is expected to return to the broadcast booth for the 2026 NFL season, which kicks off in September — the same month he is now scheduled to appear in a Milwaukee courtroom.

For a broadcaster whose brand is built on reading the field before the snap, an arrest for impaired driving is an unforced error with no blitz to blame. The legal consequences in Wisconsin are modest for a first offense. The reputational calculus, for a network that markets Romo as the face of its NFL coverage, may be something else entirely.

What happens next is straightforward on paper. Romo appears in court on September 21. If it is adjudicated as a first offense, he pays a fine. Whether CBS addresses the matter publicly, or whether the league or network takes any separate action, remains an open question.