by Tony Romo's security as the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback is now etched in money.
The team and its star player struck a six-year, $108 million contract extension Friday — $55 million is guaranteed — that answers any questions as to whether the franchise would stick behind its much-scrutinized signal caller.
"Absolutely, we feel that we can win a championship with Tony," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told USA TODAY Sports, while also confirming details of the contract, which takes effect in 2014 and is scheduled to run through 2019.
"We wouldn't be doing all of this if we didn't think we could win with him."
Romo, who will turn 33 next month, received a $25 million signing bonus.
Set to earn a base salary of $11.5 million for 2013, Romo was scheduled to carry a $16.8 million salary cap number for this year. But the re-worked contract lowered his cap number for the upcoming season by $5 million.
"Tony has always considered himself a Cowboy for life," Romo's agent, R.J. Gonser, told USA TODAY Sports. "Now it's a reality."
And at a high price. The wow factor with Romo's megapact — the new money averages $18 million per year — compared to an $11.25 million average salary in the previous contract is that the guaranteed portion exceeds the $52 million in guarantees that Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco secured from the Baltimore Ravens with his six-year, $120.6 million record contract earlier this month.
The team and its star player struck a six-year, $108 million contract extension Friday — $55 million is guaranteed — that answers any questions as to whether the franchise would stick behind its much-scrutinized signal caller.
"Absolutely, we feel that we can win a championship with Tony," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told USA TODAY Sports, while also confirming details of the contract, which takes effect in 2014 and is scheduled to run through 2019.
"We wouldn't be doing all of this if we didn't think we could win with him."
Romo, who will turn 33 next month, received a $25 million signing bonus.
Set to earn a base salary of $11.5 million for 2013, Romo was scheduled to carry a $16.8 million salary cap number for this year. But the re-worked contract lowered his cap number for the upcoming season by $5 million.
"Tony has always considered himself a Cowboy for life," Romo's agent, R.J. Gonser, told USA TODAY Sports. "Now it's a reality."
And at a high price. The wow factor with Romo's megapact — the new money averages $18 million per year — compared to an $11.25 million average salary in the previous contract is that the guaranteed portion exceeds the $52 million in guarantees that Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco secured from the Baltimore Ravens with his six-year, $120.6 million record contract earlier this month.
