IRVING, Texas -- There is no getting around that the Dallas Cowboys are a different team when Tony Romo doesn’t play. It’s simple math.
Since 2013, the Cowboys are 23-11 with Romo as their starter. They are 1-13 without Romo, including a 1-11 mark last season.
Brandon Weeden had an 0-4 record as Romo's fill–in over the course of two seasons. Matt Cassel went 1-6 last year, throwing for 223 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in win against the Washington Redskins. Kellen Moore went 0-2 last season. Kyle Orton took the loss in the 2013 finale against the Philadelphia Eagles with a playoff spot on the line.
It has set up an interesting dynamic for those who believe Romo should not be considered among the game's elite because he has just two playoff wins, and those who believe Romo is underappreciated.
"I don't sit around and analyze how I'm viewed necessarily," Romo said. "I do know that when I can play football, it helps our football team. That's why you work as hard as you do, to give yourself every opportunity to be out there on Sundays and winning football games."
A starting quarterback's health is important to every team in the NFL, but the Cowboys have put all of their faith in Romo even though he has missed games because of a herniated disk (2013), transverse process fractures (2014) and a broken left collarbone (2015).
He missed 10 games in 2010 with a broken left collarbone as well. In 2011 he played with a broken rib and punctured lung.
When teammates and coaches laud how Romo looks this offseason, it's easy to slough it off as, "Nothing to see here," or remember that similar things were said in the past. The proof of Romo feeling good will come starting Sept. 11 against the New York Giants, when he can get hit for real for a full game.
But the fact that Romo looks good shouldn't be completely discounted.
"Tony has looked phenomenal," quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. "This is the best stretch I've seen him in the spring in a long time. There are no effects from any of the injuries. He still does a routine to take care of his back, but he's done his full workload out here. He hasn't gotten out of anything.
"He's throwing with a lot of velocity and a lot of accuracy. He missed a lot of the season last year, so he's got a rejuvenated spirit out here and he's really into it and pushing other guys. We're putting in a few new things and it's got him excited."
On Wednesday, Romo agreed with owner and general manager Jerry Jones' assessment that he could play another four or five years. Romo jokingly upped it to seven or eight years when asked about his successor, then settled on five or six years.
"With the way that it's going right now -- the running joke in here is that I'm the only one in here that keeps getting younger each year," he said. "Hopefully that continues."
Romo tried to downplay his importance, even if the math is so simple.
"I just think we're all in this together," Romo said. "It's not about one individual. The more you can preach that, you can win football games. Football is not about one guy. It's not about any one person in any capacity. Anybody that's been around the game long enough knows that it takes a group of men committed doing something great to achieve really anything at the NFL level. I think we have a collection of men that have a chance to do that."
But recent history says that will only happen if Romo can stay healthy.