Jerry Jones: Cowboys signed Kyle Orton ‘for this very circumstance’
By Mike Dyce
The Dallas Cowboys paid a lot of money to have Kyle Orton as a back up on their roster, and it looks like that investment will have a chance to show it was worth it. Orton could be forced to fill in for Tony Romo, who has a injury expected to hold him out, with the NFC East title and a playoff berth on the line.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones gloated a bit on his radio show on KRLD-FM about signing Orton.
“We paid a lot of money several years ago for just this very circumstance,” Jones said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Should we be in a situation where a game or a possible intermittent time when Tony couldn’t play, we get the very best we can, and that’s why we signed Kyle Orton for over $10 million a few years ago, just for this very occasion. Kyle has a very strong arm, he’s very experienced. If required, he’ll be able to step in and do as good under the circumstances as you could expect.”
Orton has a lot of experience starting in the NFL
“I want to emphasize that this back up quarterback was a starter,” Jones said. “It was unique that he would come here when he had real starting possibilities. We are going to get the benefit from him should he play.”
Of course Orton was replaced by Tim Tebow once.
“Again, we’re in as good a shape under the circumstances that you could possibly be in and I have every reason to think that, if needed, Kyle Orton can step out there and do a good job for us. We had planned on this very event. We have been very fortunate with Romo on his injury situation. He hasn’t played as much as I would have thought when I agreed to give him over $10 million three years ago. Because of how important that position is you just have to anticipate to some degree what happens if you lose Tony Romo. In this case we have done it. We did it. I’m proud that we have done it. We are ready to utilize it this weekend.”