National Football League

Tony Romo: I'm finally able to have the offseason I want

Published May. 15, 2015 3:58 p.m. ET

foxsports

Tony Romo has been hampered by injuries and recovery periods from injuries over the last two off seasons. Now healthy again, Romo is excited about his opportunity to take advantage of the extra practice time.

“Just the ability to have an offseason – I haven’t had that in a few years,” Romo said in an interview with the Cowboys’ flagship radio station 105.3 The Fan. “It’s been just about rehab and maintaining. When you’re doing that, it’s what you have to do when you come back from surgery. But you don’t really strengthen. If anything, you’re just trying to find a way to manage it and be at your best at specific times of the year.

“I’m really able to push it a little bit right now, which has been exciting with the legs, the upper body and some of the stuff I haven’t been able to do for two, two and a half, three years.”

Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is excited about the opportunity to get Romo in the huddle during meaningful practices in OTAs and training camp.

“(Last year) he basically went through the walkthroughs and stood and was really a tuned-in spectator to what we were doing,” Linehan said. “We’ll get his presence and leadership in that huddle when we’re actually running plays much more than we were able to last year.”

Romo, who turned 35 years old in April, could be asked to do more in 2015. Not only will he be entering the season healthy, but he will also be entering it without his teammate DeMarco Murray who accounted for 450 total touches last season. The offense may look to the horizontal passing game in the flats to make up some the explosive plays they are missing without Murray.

(h/t Dallas Cowboys)

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