Bodycam Footage Reveals Tony Romo Refusing Breath Test & Arguing With Officer

Bodycam footage from Tony Romo‘s OWI arrest in Wisconsin has been released, and it shows the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback arguing with a police officer, requesting his attorney multiple times, and ultimately refusing a breath test. The footage was obtained and published by TMZ and reported on by NBC Pro Football Talk.

Romo was pulled over on a Milwaukee interstate just after 6 p.m. on July 23. The bodycam footage covers key moments of the encounter, including the initial traffic stop, his transport to a nearby police station, field sobriety testing, and his arrest.

In the footage, Romo appeared surprised to have been pulled over. When the officer asked whether he had been drinking, he said he had consumed “zero” drinks, adding that he was coming from a golf course and was on his way to see “grandma and grandpa.”

When the officer instructed him to step out of the vehicle for field sobriety testing, Romo said he needed to call his attorney. He repeated the request multiple times and began recording the encounter on his iPhone. After a back-and-forth with the officer, he got out of the car and asked directly, “Because I’m coming from a golf course, you think I’m drunk?”

The officer informed him he was being detained for a possible OWI and transported him to a nearby police station for testing. At the station, she told him she suspected impairment due to his “red glassy eyes and the odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage” – and noted that unopened alcohol shooters were found in his bag.

Romo was put through a standard battery of field sobriety tests, following a pen with his eyes, walking a straight line, and standing on one leg. He had to stop and stretch multiple times, saying the drive over had aggravated prior back injuries. The footage shows him performing poorly across all three tests.

When the officer asked him to submit to a breath test, Romo declined. “Oh, no. We’re not doing that. I’ve heard from all the lawyers don’t ever do that. So, we’re not going to do that.” He was then placed under arrest.

What Led to the Arrest & Where Things Stand

Romo was booked on one count of operating while intoxicated, first offense. Milwaukee County court records show he was also cited for refusing to take a test for intoxication after the arrest, a separate violation under Wisconsin law.

A spokesperson for the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office confirmed that the case was classified as “a traffic violation and not a criminal charge” based on the allegations.

Romo’s court date is set for September 21 in Milwaukee County. He has not yet publicly addressed the incident, and the September hearing will determine what comes next.

What remains unresolved: whether Romo will contest the OWI charge, what penalties the refusal citation carries, and whether CBS adjusts his role heading into the fall broadcast season.