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Calvin Watkins, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Aikman concerned about Romo's back

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman knows something about back surgeries. He had one at 26 and recovered in time to start the 1993 season.

His experience gives him cause for concern over current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who is recovering from surgery similar to Aikman's.

"I came back in a relatively short period of time because of when I had my surgery, so he's at least afforded more time to get ready,” Aikman told the Cowboys' website during a charity event Wednesday at AT&T Stadium. "But having said that, two back surgeries in less than a year at his age, I would be a bit concerned."

Aikman led the Dallas Cowboys to a Super Bowl during that '93 season, in which he completed a career-high 69.1 percent of his passes for 3,100 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He did miss two games, not because of his back but because of a leg injury.

Team officials believe Romo will be ready to start training camp. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Romo is ahead of schedule in terms of his rehab.

Romo had a cyst removed from his back last spring that delayed his work in the offseason program, and he came into training camp overweight. He was able to get his weight back down.

In December, he underwent a discectomy to repair a herniated disc that cost him the final game of the 2013 season. Romo told ESPN last month that his recovery is going fine but hasn't given much details about his recovery otherwise.

Still, concerns remain about Romo's return.

"I'm hopeful that he's able to come back -- everybody is," Aikman said. "This team won't be the same if he's not able to. I anticipate that he will come back. But to say that, 'Hey, he's ahead of schedule and everything's going fine,' I'm not sure how you can really measure that here in April.”

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