Dak Prescott

Tony Romo opens up about his relationship with Dak Prescott

Published Apr. 7, 2017 2:04 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

Tony Romo stepped away from the NFL this week to pursue a career in broadcasting. It was a move that came as somewhat of a surprise, with many expecting him to field offers from the Texans, Broncos and any other team that vied for his services at quarterback.

It was, however, the best possible scenario for the Dallas Cowboys. They no longer have to worry about him competing for a Super Bowl in another city, and it made releasing him a bit easier to handle.

Part of the reason for that is because Dak Prescott is firmly entrenched as the team’s quarterback of the future. Not only is he a great player, but he’s a “good kid,” as Romo calls him. He actually helped Romo’s transition from the field to the booth.

"It probably wouldn't have went the same way if Dak wasn't, you know, a good kid," Romo said on Mike Krzyzewski's SiriusXM show, which airs Friday. "He's very respectful. He's someone that wants to learn."

Romo stood by Prescott and anointed him as the team’s starting quarterback in a heartfelt message to the media. He said the rookie had earned the right to be Dallas’ starter, stepping aside for him despite being healthy enough to play.

He was able to do that because Prescott is so focused on the game of football, and as a teammate he’s great.

"If you really just care about football. At the core, if you just love the game, I'm going to like you as a teammate. I'm going to root for you, I'm going to want to see you succeed and I'm gonna want to go out of my way to help you. He has the appetite to want to be great and he's got a skill set that's good. I think he's just going to continue to develop it."