Pop Star

As Tony Romo explodes onto the NFL stage, a curious nation asks: who is this guy?

Despite not throwing a pass in his first three-and-a-half NFL seasons, Tony Romo has quickly transformed himself from nobody to VIP. Since replacing Drew Bledsoe on Oct. 23, he's become a legitimate Pro Bowl candidate who has the Boys playing like men and celebrity gawkers whispering his name in connection with a certain preacher's daughter. Speaking of gossip, we asked those who know him to dish about the latest version of America's QB.

"I don't want to say Tony's cheap, but he wore the same golf shoes from eighth grade through senior year." -BILL BERKHOLTZ, ROMO'S GOLF COACH AT BURLINGTON (WIS.) HIGH

"He averaged 24.3 points as a senior, was All-State and conference co-Player of the Year. Basketball was his sport." -STEVE BEREZOWITZ, ROMO'S HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACH

"The only reason we knew about him was because I'm from Wisconsin and my mom sent me local press clippings. I watched him play my high school alma mater in basketball, and the way he distributed the ball, you could tell he had tremendous vision. He sold me that night." -ROY WITTKE, ROMO'S OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AT EASTERN ILLINOIS

"We always go to the Final Four. Last year, we were killing time in the hotel, and he wanted to play Name That Tune. He loves to compete. Doesn't matter if it's eight people or 80,000." -RON KAHL, ROMO'S HIGH SCHOOL WOOD SHOP TEACHER

"Tony and Jessica have never met, so they're not dating." -LAUREN AUSLANDER, JESSICA SIMPSON'S PUBLICIST

"As a freshman, he played the No. 3 singles player on the tennis team and beat the snot out of him. That's the kind of athlete he was." -BILL BERKHOLTZ

"He was a developmental player that needed time. If he'd been cast right into this, he would not have been successful. I guarantee it." -BILL PARCELLS

"I don't think of myself as a celebrity. I'm a football player." -TONY ROMO

"He can't dance." -MARCO RIVERA, COWBOYS GUARD

"Tony had a 60-some-yard touchdown run his sophomore year, but we teased him that the media guys left the press box, got a Coke and came back before he crossed the goal line. He may not be the fastest, but he always had a great knack for escaping trouble and getting in a position to throw." -ROY WITTKE

"We order movies the night before games. Tony picks girly movies, like The Break-Up or The Girl Next Door. He loves chick flicks." -JASON WITTEN, COWBOYS TIGHT END AND ROMO'S ROAD ROOMIE

"You'd be bored hanging with me." -TONY ROMO

"He tried to play guitar but never got the hang of it. He's tone-deaf." -RAMIRO ROMO JR., TONY'S DAD

"He loves Johnny Cash. "I Walk the Line" is his ringtone." -VIVIAN FULLERLOVE, ROMO'S PUBLICIST

"His poise has been surprising. Against Indy, at the two-minute warning, we thought we'd take a knee. But Tony comes in the huddle and says, 'All right, guys, we're gonna take a shot. We're going deep.' We're like, 'What? Game's over.' He took a knee, but for a minute he had everyone going." -JASON WITTEN

"One thing I like about Tony, he wants to know about his predecessors and why they were successful. A lot of good players I've had exhibit that characteristic." -BILL PARCELLS

"I just throw to the guy who's open." -TONY ROMO

Print Article . Email Article. Subscribe to The Magazine