Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones says he hopes to keep Tony Romo on bench in Week 17

Published Dec. 27, 2016 9:23 p.m. ET

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Kerouac Smith

Dallas Cowboys fans were calling for Tony Romo to get some action in Monday night's 42-21 win over the Detroit Lions, but the former starter stayed put on the sideline.

According to team owner Jerry Jones, that figures to be the case next week in Philadelphia as well, despite the Cowboys having clinched home-field throughout the playoffs.

Jones, on his way to make his official postgame statement, told ESPN's Todd Archer that he doesn't want to see Romo playing in Week 17 because it would likely mean that rookie star Dak Prescott had been injured.

"Because I don't like the circumstance it would come under, which would be injury," he said.

He expanded on the comments shortly after, noting that Prescott's continued maturation outweighed trying to shake any potential rust for Romo, who hasn't played since a preseason injury put him on the shelf into November.

"Look at what Dak Prescott learned tonight and what's now in his computer that wasn't there before tonight in terms of working with Dez [Bryant] in terms of executing the offense," Jones said. "With him being a rookie, we really need all these reps he can get, including any reps we get this week and next week, because we want him to be as educated and as well-prepared and have as much as experience as he can when we get in the playoffs."

“We’ve got the book on Tony,” Jones said. “We’re seeing him work at practice, and that’s enough. …We have a real good feel. We have a very good feel for how he could do.”

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