LANDOVER, Md. — As happy as Jerry Jones was about Dak Prescott Sunday, he was even happier about Tony Romo. He also was happy to declare, with no hesitation, that Romo will be back as soon as he’s ready, no matter how well the rookie fills in for him.
After the Cowboys’ 27-23 win over Washington, the owner said that Romo “had a good examination before the game, a real good one, really good” with the team’s medical staff. Romo is rehabbing from a fractured bone in his back suffered in the third week of the preseason. He remained on the roster but has been inactive for the first two games, as he is expected to miss as many as 10 weeks.
“This early part was medical protocol,’’ Jones said. “Probably beginning about right now, it’s up to how you get over in that area in the individual’s situation, his own ability to heal, his own ability to tolerate (pain). He's in that stage right now, and hopefully soon he’ll be out of that dangerous stage relative to your spine, probably two or three more weeks. Then we can see how far he wants to go, by his own volition.’’
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Jones was asked if Prescott’s play so far — especially in the just-completed win — might allow the Cowboys to be more patient about bringing Romo back.
“Not necessarily,’’ he quickly answered. “Tony’s situation, when he’s back, will be dictated by Tony's ability to really function.’’ Jones added that even though Prescott handled his debut last week against the Giants well, despite the one-point loss, “We would have been a better team last week” with a healthy Romo.
However, he continued, the experience Prescott’s getting is invaluable.
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“Boy, we’re getting to not only play winning football with Dak, we’re developing him, and he has now gotten 265, 270 snaps … He's gotten them against some of the greatest competition there is if you want to play that position.
“We’re getting so far out on that, relative to his development as our future quarterback, and that’s good stuff.’’