OXNARD, Calif. – Tony Romo is in on-field command of the Dallas Cowboys offense in training camp, but he might not begin the team's preseason schedule that way.
Coach Jason Garrett revealed in an exclusive interview with FOX Sports that Romo may not play at all in the Cowboys' preseason debut Aug. 4 in the nationally televised Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
"It's one of those deals where I suppose he could play five plays or whatever, but we might lean to no plays," Garrett said. "But the clock starts on our '1's' (first-teamers) in Week 2 of the preseason. So that's not going to be Tony's game."
The Cowboys play five preseason games this summer, the extra one being at the start of the schedule against the Dolphins in Canton.
"That's going to be a Nick Stephens game and an Alex Tanney game," Garrett said, suggesting it's likely that veteran backup Kyle Orton will join Romo in wearing a ball cap all night.
There is no indication that the consideration of scratching Romo is related to the offseason surgery to remove a cyst from his back, a procedure that prevented the quarterback from throwing until about six weeks ago. Romo has participated in all drills in this first week of camp, even as the club is monitoring his ramp-up toward the regular season by keeping a "pitch count" of sorts on his throws.
