Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is not confirming a report by ESPN that quarterback Tony Romo has been sidelined for the season with a back injury.
"We just have to evaluate day by day, see how he feels tonight, tomorrow morning, over the next few days and just see where he is," Garrett said during a news conference Monday.
Cowboys radio announcer Brad Sham told NBC DFW Monday night that he, too, will wait a few days before making his own determination of Romo's ability to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Well you know on the plane [back from Washington] I knew he was in discomfort. I didn't talk to him on the plane, but it was clear during the game you could tell, I didn't know if he had a quad injury or something, but it was obvious he was in great discomfort," Sham said following his weekly Cowboys radio show.
Sham added that he has great respect for Romo's ability to play through pain.
"We've seen him do it before. We've seen him do it in San Francisco a couple years ago when he had his lung punctured and his rib broken he kept playing and won the game. He did that again Sunday [against the Washington Redskins.]. He's not perfect, but he's a little tougher than a lot of people want to give him credit for."
Cowboys fans were also sounding off Monday night about the news of Romo's injury.
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"I think if Tony Romo is not playing they have a very uphill climb," Tom McMurray of Corinth said.
"Well, I'm disappointed of course if he's not gonna be there," said Minnie Wesbee of Bedford said. "I think if Kyle Orton has to do it I think he can do it."
During Monday's news conference, Coach Garrett said the team is prepared to start backup quarterback Kyle Orton, who has not started an NFL game since 2011, in the event Tony Romo cannot play.
"The 'next man up' philosophy is alive and well with us. And again we will evaluate Tony's injury day by day. But anybody who's on our roster has to be ready to play. Kyle understands that," Garrett said.
Other Cowboys fans agreed with the idea that Orton could be effective on Sunday.
"I think he'll do ok for us. I think he'll get us past this game. We'll see what happens after that, hopefully Tony will be better by then. But if not I think Kyle will do a good job for us," said Greg Banter of Dallas.
"I feel like people are always gonna be like, 'Aw, it's always Romo. It's Romo. It's Romo.' But it's a team sport at the same time so I have a lot of faith in [Orton.]"
