Tony Romo Injury Update: How long will Cowboys QB be out?

The Dallas Cowboys will be without Tony Romo to start the season after he broke a bone in his back, but when will the veteran quarterback return to the lineup?

Tony Romo broke a bone in his back after he was tackled from behind early in the Dallas Cowboys preseason game on Thursday. The veteran quarterback has battled back and collarbone injuries the last two years and will miss the start of the season as he recovers from his latest ailment.

Dallas will start rookie quarterback Dak Prescott in his absence and the fourth round pick out of Mississippi State should provide more relief than previous Romo backups. Prescott has played like a seasoned veteran during the preseason but the plan wasn’t for him to start this year with Romo fully healthy.

The preseason has a funny way of changing things in a hurry and now Jason Garrett’s team has to adapt on the fly. Prescott should be fine, but how long should the team plan to be without Romo?

According to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport, Romo is looking at a best-case scenario of being out until mid-season. He is likely looking at being placed on injured reserve with a designated to return classification.

This is a crushing blow to the Cowboys playoff chances before the season even starts, but not a death blow. Prescott has played well in the preseason and exceeded the loftiest of expectations for the fourth round pick.

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He’s done everything asked of him and his future is bright, but their playoff chances took a hit with Romo sidelined for what could be as many as eight games. Still, the Cowboys have to be counting their blessings they drafted Prescott while simultaneously praying for a speedy recovery from their franchise quarterback.

For Romo, this latest injury very well could lead him to consider retiring much earlier than he wants.