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Another day, another difficult match-up. Today's battle features two undrafted free agents who not only made it in the NFL, but who made immediate impacts in their first year as starters: sixth seed Tony Romo who, when he took over for Drew Bledsoe in the middle of the 2006 season, led the Cowboys to a playoff berth, and eleventh-seeded Everson Walls who, as a rookie in 1981, lead the league in interceptions with eleven. Which man will prevail? Read both bios and cast your ballots, people!
Player: Tony Romo
Position: quarterback
Seed: 6
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Ramiro Romo |
2004-present |
114 |
4 |
0 |
no |
no |
Bio: Romo went undrafted in 2003, but was recruited to the Cowboys by fellow Eastern Illinois alum Sean Payton. After holding a clipboard for a couple of seasons, he earned a starting nod in the middle of the 2006 season and has been the Cowboys' starting quarterback ever since. Romo has been, quite simply, the most prolific and efficient passer in Cowboys history. He holds team records for career passing yards; touchdown passes; games with 3+ touchdown passes; games with 300+ yards; consecutive games with a TD pass; most 4th Quarter Comebacks/Game-winning drives; and lowest career interception percentage, at 2.6%. Romo also holds a bevy of Cowboys season and single-game passing marks.
In addition, Romo holds NFL records for the highest QB Rating in month of December and in the 4th quarter of games; most games with 135+ passer rating in a season; most passing attempts thru 100 starts; and most consecutive road games with at least one touchdown pass. He made the Pro Bowl after each of the four seasons during his career in which the Cowboys made the playoffs.
Player: Everson Walls
Position: cornerback
Seed: 11
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everson Collins Walls |
1981-89 |
82* |
4 |
1 |
no |
no |
Bio: The Cowboys signed Walls as an undrafted free agent, and he made an immediate splash, leading the league in as a rookie and earning the first of four Pro Bowl invitations. He lead the league in picks during two other years (1982 and 1985), joining Ed Reed as the only men to have been three-time NFL leaders in interceptions. He led the Cowboys in interceptions five different seasons, and his 44 interceptions ranks him second on the Cowboys career list; his career total of 57 ranks him 10th on the NFL career interceptions list. In addition, he shares both Pro Bowl career and single-game interceptions records. He was named to the Cowboys 25th Year Anniversary Team. In 2007, he donated a kidney to former Cowboys teammate and good friend Ron Springs, who had type 2 diabetes.
*Walls' AV with the Cowboys is 82; his career AV, with three teams, is 105.
Alright, BTBers, which man advances to the next round?