Tony Romo arrested on suspicion of impaired driving in Milwaukee

Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence after deputies said he was pulled over on southbound Interstate 43 near downtown and performed poorly on field sobriety tests.

Milwaukee County sheriff’s officials said the stop happened around 6 p.m. Thursday, and Fox6 News identified the case as OWI, first offense. In Wisconsin, OWI is the state’s term for operating while intoxicated or under the influence, the charge used in impaired-driving cases that can carry criminal penalties if prosecutors move forward.

Romo’s case drew quick attention because he is not just a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback but also a current CBS Sports NFL analyst. He has not publicly released a statement, and CBS had not publicly commented by Friday afternoon. WTMJ reported that the arrest came hours after Romo completed an interview with the station in Milwaukee.

The arrest does not equal a conviction, and the case now moves into the ordinary court process that follows an impaired-driving stop: review of the arrest report, the sobriety evidence, and any later testing or legal filings. ESPN said, citing the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, that Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests after getting stopped.

Fox6 News reported that Romo’s first court date was set for Sept. 21, 2026. The timing gives the case a standard next step in Wisconsin’s criminal process, where a judge will eventually hear the charges, any plea, and any motion practice tied to the stop on Interstate 43.

Romo, who is from Burlington, Wisconsin, spent his post-playing career as one of television’s most familiar NFL voices, which helps explain why a local OWI arrest spread far beyond Milwaukee. For now, the legal record centers on one traffic stop, one field sobriety test and a first court appearance that will determine how the case proceeds.