Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Jason Witten: Tony Romo will return sooner than expected, play at high level

FRISCO, Texas -- Nobody associated with the Dallas Cowboys knows Tony Romo better than Jason Witten.

Romo is looking at missing extended playing time for the second straight season because of a compression fracture in his back, but Witten still is there to support his quarterback of 10 seasons and friend of 14 years.

Witten simply recounts 2014 as an example of why Romo will continue to succeed. After undergoing two back surgeries in 2013, including a discectomy that cost him that season’s final game, Romo returned in 2014 and had 34 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.

“People are going to bet against him. That’s fine, and I don’t think that’s unfair to do so,” Witten said. “But if you know what he’s about, which everybody in this building does, he’s going to be back sooner than probably expected and he’ll play better than anybody thought he would, because I know that’s what he’s about. He’s going to prepare himself. This is a minor setback for him, and he’s done it his entire life, and that gives us all a lot of confidence.”

While coach Jason Garrett has yet to even rule Romo out for the season opener, sources have said the Cowboys quarterback will need six to 10 weeks to recover. Romo will be in a back brace for at least the next two weeks, with the aim to keep him as immobile as possible.

While others wonder whether Romo, 36, should consider retirement considering how the injuries have piled up, Witten would never suggest such a thing.

“I would just simply say they don’t know who Tony Romo is,” Witten said. “I mean, (he's) the most competitive individual I ever met, whether it’s golf, basketball, Ping-Pong, cards, obviously football. So along with that you have to understand they’re all different injuries, so it’s not a nagging, continuing on the same injury. So even this we just lump it into one thing.

"I’m not a doctor. I’m not here to give him a sales pitch or anything like that, but I do know what he’s about, I know what his mindset is, and he’ll get back quickly and play at a high level.”

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