Dallas Cowboys Ex Tony Romo Jokes On The Pickleball Call: 'I Can't Compete!'
DALLAS - Tony Romo has quickly become one of the best in the business when it comes to calling games as a broadcaster.
"Games,'' that is, as in NFL games. "Broadcasting,'' that is, for the "NFL on CBS.''
So what's he doing hanging out behind a microphone as part of the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championship?
"For me the amazing thing is to see how far this thing has come... This is like rockstar level," said Dallas Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki, who played in this week's celebrity event while Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys star, provided color on an ESPN telecast. "I'm super-impressed with the set-up, how many players are here. It is insanity on another level, how big this sport has gotten."
Also in the house on Tuesday night was Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who watched as his coach Jason Kidd and Hall-of-Famer Nowitzki battled on the pickleball court in a prime-time event.
Nowitzki joked that when Kidd found out the pickleball game was live on ESPN, "he almost pulled out." And Romo - who played in the event a year ago - made it clear he's quite comfortable on the sideline, thank you.
PPA photo
Romo made note on the broadcast that the biggest thing that he has learned about the sport - America's fastest growing one - is that he "can't compete with any of these players."
In this matchup, Nowitzki and professional tennis star John Isner kicked off the event vs. PGA World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and Kidd.
Nowitzki smiled before heading onto the court and said, "There is some amazing pickleball talent and I'm not one of them."
Next up for the current Cowboys, a Week 10 showdown vs. the New York Giants, who will be without quarterback Daniel Jones. The Cowboys are massive 16.5-point favorites vs. the Giants and looking to add to an 11-game home winning streak that dates back to 2022, the longest active streak NFL.
