Tony Romo arrested in Wisconsin on suspicion of drunk driving

Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence after a stop on Interstate 43 near downtown, placing the CBS Sports NFL analyst at the center of a criminal case that quickly drew national attention. Milwaukee County sheriff’s officials said the stop happened around 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23, while Romo was driving southbound on the interstate. He was taken into custody, booked and released.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests after the traffic stop. Reports identified the matter as an OWI first offense and said Romo was due back in court on Sept. 21, 2026. Those are the next concrete dates in a case that now moves from a roadside stop to the formal legal process.

Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback from Burlington, built a second career as one of football’s most recognizable television voices. That status does not alter the legal standard in Wisconsin, but it does shape the public attention around the case. The arrest spread quickly through national and local outlets, including AP, NFL.com, ESPN, NBC News, CBS Texas, USA Today, Fox6 News Milwaukee and WISN-TV, amplifying the scrutiny that follows prominent figures accused of impaired driving.

The safety issue is immediate and broader than one celebrity arrest. Driving while impaired on a major route such as Interstate 43 can put the driver, passengers and everyone else on the road at risk, which is why OWI cases carry both criminal and public-health consequences. For law enforcement, the roadside details matter: the stop location near downtown Milwaukee, the sobriety testing, and the booking that followed all become part of the public record.

Romo’s fame may make the case more visible, but it does not change what comes next in court. The Sept. 21 hearing will determine how the charge is handled and whether the matter becomes a brief legal episode or a longer accountability test for one of football’s best-known broadcasters.