A personal diagnosis has inspired them to cherish small moments—and urge others to prioritize a proactive game plan with doctors.
Tony Romo is no stranger to adversity. As the Dallas Cowboys’ star quarterback from 2003 to 2016, he faced immense pressure as the leader of a storied franchise, not to mention multiple injuries that required two back surgeries. But off the field, Romo experienced an entirely different kind of test in 2007 when his father, Ramiro, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Tony and Ramiro are teaming up to raise awareness around prostate health and the importance of early conversations and screening as part of Bayer’s Highlights REAL initiative. Since retiring, Romo, 45, has had quite a career second act as a leading NFL announcer. Fans love how his sharp football IQ often spells out what might happen before a play takes place on the field. That same play-calling ability is put on display in the Bayer campaign.
According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight men will experience prostate cancer in their lifetime—and family history with it can increase one’s odds of eventually being diagnosed. Additionally, it’s the second leading source of cancer deaths among American men, with only lung cancer being higher.
In an interview with The Healthy, the Romos openly discuss how Ramiro’s diagnosis changed their perspectives, why they’re so passionate about getting the word out, and how Tony has used his dad’s experience to navigate his own health journey. They also share their Super Bowl plans (and predictions) ahead of the big game—and their family’s must-have snacks.
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The Healthy: Ramiro, you were diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2007. Can you tell us how you’re doing since then?
Ramiro Romo: Overall, I’m doing very well. I continue to get checked regularly. I remain diligent. I’m grateful for the support I’ve had along the way, both from my family and my caregivers, my care team. I’m here today, though, to help and encourage others to get checked for prostate cancer and to take an active role in managing their health. It’s important to stay on top of it and have conversations with your doctor.
Tony Romo: I think that’s why we partnered with Bayer and created the HighlightsReal.com, because it’s important to us.
Ramiro Romo: 100%.
Tony Romo: My dad had faced prostate cancer, and I feel like for us, it’s just something that hits home and it’s something that we just want to help other people gain awareness for.
The Healthy: We recently reported how one in three men said they’d rather see their favorite sports team lose than talk to their doctor about prostate health.
Tony Romo: It’s hard for people to go and check in with their doctor and really go get checked. And then on top of it—I know this from my time with Dad—is just the appreciation of the everyday moments, small moments, just playing golf together. It’s being with my dad, watching the game, it’s cooking out. It’s just… he’s here. He’s faced something obviously difficult, but it’s so rewarding. And thank goodness that he was proactive and had a game plan, I guess you’d say, of how to manage prostate cancer. And so that’s been rewarding to have these moments.
Ramiro Romo: If Tony and I can help people to go to the HighlightsReal.com and check it out, anything we can do to get people to be more proactive and formulate a game plan, that’s what we’re about.
The Healthy: Diagnosing cancer and treating it early can help achieve a fuller, longer life. How have the two of you made the most of your time together as a result of this journey for your family?
Tony Romo: Well, I think you just gain an appreciation for the small, everyday moments, like we were saying. Until you’re faced with something real like that, it’s hard to describe. But to me it just gives you a sense of appreciation for having the moments. We golf, we talk about it, we talk about football, we do campaigns with Bayer, and that’s why HighlightsReal.com is important. All these things are just about having other people have the opportunity to be proactive and consult with their doctor, and you just want to get the message out. But I just think having these moments with my dad, it’s just been special. And I think it’s going to continue for a long, long time, Lord willing. But I think to me, it’s just one of those things that you want to give back.
The Healthy: Tony, you’ve obviously done really well in your broadcast career since retiring, and fans love how you’ll sometime predict a play before it happens. Is there a parallel between using your previous football experience and the way that you’re broadcasting the games versus using your dad’s previous health experience as you navigate your own health journey?
Tony Romo: Good question. Everything’s about perspective. I try and teach quarterbacks [in] the NFL the same thing, a different way. There’s different ways to gain perspective, experience, wisdom, however you want to call it. But there’s no question, the NFL, when you’re in, it feels like it’s life or death when you’re playing. It literally feels that way. And I feel like when you’re playing, it’s like, “My whole life’s on the line, we’ve got to win this game.” You want to do it for so many people.
When you get smacked in the face with your dad facing prostate cancer, it’s like, “Well, this is real, real life.” And so that allows you to gain perspective. And having kids, my wife… It’s like these are things that help because otherwise it’s just too much sometimes going through things in the NFL that are so important. Sometimes you can also gain an appreciation for the things that are truly important.
The Healthy: We’ve had discussions with different athletes about how difficult the transition from playing to retirement is, especially when it comes to navigating fitness and nutritional needs in a new way. All this can lead to a big change in identity. Were there any parts that were easier or harder for you?
Tony Romo: That’s another good question. I feel like when you’re in a professional sport—whether it’s football, basketball, whatever it is, when you’re in the middle of your career—you feel like you’re going to play forever. It’s like, that is what you do. It’s what you’ve built your whole life to do. It’s what you’re going to do the rest of your life and for some reason, you don’t really always think about post-career. The tunnel vision… There is some ways is actually a good thing because it’s really about that and you want it to be singularly focused. In that process, you want to be healthy, you want to be explosive, you want to do everything you can to be at your best. So for me, that was a part of the process, I think that carries over.
I do think that one area that’s difficult is when you do something your whole life to play this sport, and you’re lucky enough and fortunate enough like I was—the good Lord blessed me to be able to play in the NFL for an extended period of time—that’s going to end. When it does—how you handle it, to answer your question—it’s not easy because you’re losing something that is almost like, in some ways, your identity. And I think the key for me was just that my identity—while giving everything you have—it comes from the Lord. It’s not just football. I don’t know if I would’ve gotten through it without leaning into my faith in the Lord. So a number of times I just am like, “Dad”—and not even this dad [gestures to Ramiro]—I was like, “Jesus, I need you.” That was the difference.
Same thing post-career: I don’t know what’s coming. I’ve been so fortunate, I feel so blessed. I mean, I feel like the luckiest guy alive post-career, the whole thing. I wish I brought a Super Bowl to Dallas, that’s the only regret is I didn’t bring that to all the people, fans, people who worked with all the teammates and everything. That was my job and goal, and I just didn’t get that done. I wish I could have done that. But everything else, I’m like, “I’m the luckiest person who walks.” I’m just thankful for that. When you retire, the hardest part in some ways is the competitive outlet, finding that avenue. And I’ve been able to achieve that a different way. You don’t know how it’s going to unfold.
Ramiro Romo: He’s taken all my money on the golf course. That’s how he did it. Competitive juice.
Tony Romo: So I got to play golf. That was great. And then on top of it, working with CBS and broadcasting, I love doing that and trying to be great at that. And we’ve had an incredible run … [W]ith our whole team and everybody … it’s been really rewarding.
The Healthy: How are the two of you planning to watch the Super Bowl this year?
Tony Romo: [gestures to Ramiro] He’s still in Wisconsin, him and my mom, Joan, and they’re going to have their entire family. My sisters still live up there; that’s why they never moved. We live in Dallas, so we’re going to have our whole family there, my three boys and my wife’s family. And everyone will come over and watch, and then we FaceTime and we talk about the game and do everything. So we’re always watching the game and stuff. But it’s about the only game a year I get, every two, three years, to watch is the Super Bowl, because I’m usually working. But it’s so fun, and we love football in our family. [turns to Ramiro] But what are you going to do for the Super Bowl?
Ramiro Romo: I’ll probably end up cooking, and I enjoy the heck out of it.
The Healthy: Any must-have dishes?
Ramiro Romo: Well, I mean, we make some fajita tacos. We make some white bean chili. All kinds of stuff. I love cooking.
Tony Romo: He does.
The Healthy: The whole Super Bowl Sunday experience is just so great.
Tony Romo: I know, it’s so big. The one part that’s really interesting about that is I called the AFC Championship Game [this year] and have been fortunate enough to do a bunch of these games. It’s so huge for the people involved. I just don’t know that everyone can grasp it—I try and get it across sometimes on air, but sometimes the game goes somewhere you can’t get to where you want to go all the time. But the people—you dream about this as a kid and then all of a sudden it’s not just you anymore, it’s your parents, it’s your kids, it’s your sisters, brothers, your cousins, anyone you’ve ever met who’s helped you, your coaches, anyone who’s been a part of you that helped you grow as a player. And then you’ve got the coaches and their extended families. I’m like, “These moments are so huge.” It’s just such a cool thing to see these guys have that ability to win playoff games, to get to the Super Bowl. It’s just such a joy for me to watch ’em and see that play out. And I mean, it’s just a wonderful thing that makes the NFL and sports in general just so special to me. Your life’s work being put on display and what a gift to be able to do that.
The Healthy: For sure. Do you have any predictions about the game itself?
Tony Romo: Dad, what do you think? How’s the game going to go?
Ramiro Romo: Listen, I told everybody week nine, do not go to sleep on the Patriots. I told everybody that…but I’m taking Seattle.
Tony Romo: I actually think it’ll be a very close game. I don’t have a prediction for you, but I do think that this game will be close. I think both these teams are very similar in some ways. I think it’ll come down to which quarterback can handle the pressure early in the game, and especially late. And then whoever gets a little bit of the help in the run game. So whichever team you see in the first quarter run it better probably has the best chance to win.
The Healthy: What does the NFL offseason look like for the Romos?
Tony Romo: Well, I think for me, I’m basically turning into a taxi cab driver because of my three boys. My wife might be like, “Alright, here you go! It’s Saturday, Sunday.” So I’ll be going to their games and practices and everything and just being a dad. So I look forward to that, I really enjoy that and it’s fun. That’ll be the first step. And then obviously we’ll play some golf together and get out there. But I think for my dad, it’ll be teaching my mom how to gain 10 more yards off the tee maybe.
Ramiro Romo: I also have an appointment with my doctor in April for my annual physical.
The Healthy: What is a self-care ritual that you refuse to skip?
Ramiro Romo: Bible reading.
Tony Romo: I mean, that definitely is the one that’ll take over everything, I think. There’s no question there. I mean, as far as health, I’ve had two back surgeries. So for me it would be what I call “elongate and activate.” I want to try and turn into Gumby, still got a ways to go there, and I want to be strong in the areas to help. So I’m always trying to be proactive about that, so I’m able to stay active with my kids and other areas as well.
The Healthy: What does that entail? Are you doing yoga, stretching? How do you go about that?
Tony Romo: Yes, yes. I think there’s a lot. I found my routine and thank goodness I ran into some really great people who taught me stuff because I wasn’t able to be as active as I am able to be today until people were able to teach me. And I think that’s part of even why we’re here. It’s like: Be proactive and go consult with your doctor to get a game plan and be prepared for yourself. That helps. People who are smart, who help you can really affect and change your life.
For me, you talk about yoga, but it’s like a lot of little things. It’s a lot of stretches, it’s a lot of holds. It’s a lot of activation. It’s just a bunch of stuff. It’d be hard to explain right here. But yeah, I mean, you’re trying to do a lot of stuff to get yourself to be flexible and strong.
The Healthy: Anything else you want to share?
Tony Romo: Hang out with your dad. And if you guys play golf as kids, you’ll probably spend more time as a dad. I would say have your kids play golf, because when are you ever going to get the phones to be put away and spend time for four hours with your kids? It’s not as easy as you think. But I think golf is a great thing and I love my pops, so I’m just glad that he’s here.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
