Tony Romo gives Cowboys fans a scare with back injury on first series
Tony Romo gave Dallas Cowboys fans a good scare Thursday night.
Romo was knocked out of the preseason game against Seattle on the third play with a back injury after being hit from behind while sliding.
Tony Romo goes down after hit. Walked off the field on his own. Dak Prescott in at QB for the Cowboys. #DALvsSEAhttps://t.co/wbppIp6CGx
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 26, 2016
The veteran QB wasn't hit hard by Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril but tweaked his back. He walked off under his own power and was stretching on the sideline as backup QB Dak Prescott took the field.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is tackled by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril.
Romo said he had tightness in his back but felt fine, according to sideline reporter Keith Russell, and lobbied coach Jason Garrett to return to the game. But Garrett told Romo he's done for the night, Russell reported, and Prescott returned for the Cowboys' second series.
"No reason to put him back in the ballgame," Garrett told Russell at halftime, and added, "We don't think it's a serious thing."
Jerry Jones went so far as to say Romo wasn't injured.
In Romo's absence, the Cowboys saw a glimpse of their future: Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, making his preseason debut, led a seven-play, 81-yard drive on the Cowboys' second series, capped by a 17-yard touchdown to Jason Witten en route to a 7-0 lead.
Prescott finished 17 of 23 for 116 yards.
Romo missed 12 games last season due to two collarbone fractures and the Cowboys went 1-11 in his absence. The 36-year-old also has had multiple surgeries on his back.
