IRVING, Texas – In a way, Tony Romo's offseason will be similar to last year.
Not only is he rehabbing a back injury that needed surgery, but he's also now working with a new play-caller to the offense.
But just like in 2013, the Cowboys are hoping and expecting Romo to be ready for training camp, if not sooner this time.
Of course, Romo's herniated disk surgery is a little more serious than the cyst he had removed last year. And, working with Scott Linehan might be different than Bill Callahan, who had been the offensive coordinator in Dallas the previous season.
So the challenges might be tougher for Romo, but according to head coach Jason Garrett, his quarterback is up for it.
"Tony was here at the office (Tuesday)," Garrett said. "I had a chance to visit with him, as did Scott (Linehan) and some of the other guys on staff. He seems to be doing great. He's in his rehab and trying to make sure he does everything he can every day to get that back right and get back as soon as he can."
As for the new offensive setup, which will include Linehan replacing Callahan as the play-caller, Garrett said Romo appears to be on board. Romo supposedly talked to Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford this week about Linehan, the offensive coordinator for the Lions the past three seasons. [embedded_ad]
"He's certainly excited about it," Garrett said of Romo. "The system of offense stays in place. To have a guy like Scott come in and help us and help us evolve and grow is something we're all excited about it. Certainly Tony is, as the quarterback of this team."
Romo missed the season finale against the Eagles after he underwent surgery the Thursday before the game. He re-injured his back against the Redskins the previous week, but still managed to lead the offense down the field for the eventual winning touchdown.
Last year, Romo finished with a 96.7 passer rating with 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His 63.9 completion percentage was the lowest since 2009 and his 7.2 average yards per attempt was the lowest of his career.
