Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is going to have quarterback Tony Romo more involved with the team's offensive game planning. Jones and Hall of Famer Bill Parcells both commended Romo for his mental prowess, with Jones likening Romo's offensive mind to New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton's, ESPN reports.
Jones spoke on Tuesday about a discussion he had with Parcells, who endorsed the idea of Romo taking on a bigger role in the team's game planning and play calling.
"Bill knows Tony well and he has always had a real appreciation for Romo's approach and his intellect relative to play calling relative to seeing and understanding the game," Jones said during his weekly radio show on KRLD-FM in Dallas, via ESPN. "He's unique in that way. In a way, Tony has some of the kind of skills you might see in a Sean Payton."
Jones went on to say it's Romo's willingness to take risks that makes him comparable to Payton.
"It is also just the flair for being able to see it and being creative out there," Jones said. "In visiting with Bill, he thought it was something we really ought to take advantage is Tony's ability to see the field, call the plays and make more decisions out there."
Jones added: "I say this smiling: There is no decoding. All you got to do is take it at its face. The face is Tony is going to be more involved in the making of the game plan and the calling of the plays than he's been in the past in his career, and he'll be significantly more involved. That's a change."
The question is whether it'll be a beneficial change. Payton is renowned for his decision making and offensive mind; Romo, not so much. Romo's 19 interceptions last season tied him for first in the league with most interceptions thrown. For perspective, Mark Sanchez threw 18 picks.
Still, having the endorsement of Parcells, who coached Romo from 2003 to 2006, is saying something.
Giving Romo more say in the offense could yield better results, or it could be a disaster. Only time will tell. Dallas kicks off its season on Sept. 8 against the New York Giants.
