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Desmond Purnell of NFL Network is reporting this morning that Tony Romo will not play versus the Arizona Cardinals today.
Per Source: Tony Romo will not play in today's game against The Cardinals. According to source Romo has better chance of returning next week
— Desmond Purnell (@DesmondPurnell) November 2, 2014
Tony Romo sustained two transverse process fractures versus the Redskins on Monday. The transverse process is a wing-shaped part of one of the bones in the spine, which extends out on either side of the vertebral body. While the injury is not related to Romo's previous back surgeries, the injury can be extremely painful and can limit a player's ability to function on the field.
If Purnell's report turns out to be accurate, Romo will sit out today. But Purnell added on air during NFL Gameday First that his source has indicated Romo could be back for the Jacksonville game next week.
While that could be possible - Romo did say earlier this week that he'd play regardless of the pain as long as he could be productive and "do the fundamental things that need to get done" - if the Cowboys pull the plug on Romo today, they might as well rest him until after the bye week.
Next week, the Cowboys travel to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars and have their bye week after that. That would give Romo a four-week recovery window from the end of the Redskins game to the start of theGiants game on November 23rd. Four weeks is at the lower end of the expected six-week recovery time for a transverse process fracture, but it might be enough to give Romo his functional mobility back.
The Cowboys have yet to comment on the specific injury and have yet to comment on Romo's status for today.
[Update] Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added that the decision not to play was taken by Romo himself last night, and that Romo is not expected to play in the Jacksonville game:
#Cowboys coaches expected Tony Romo to show up and talk his way in. But Romo made the call last night that he couldn’t play today, I’m told.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 2, 2014