FRANCHISE QB PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE: Tony Romo out for rest of 2013-2014 season after back surgery

IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys will officially be without starting quarterback Tony Romo the rest of the season.

Head coach Jason Garrett said Romo underwent back surgery this morning that will place him on injured reserve the rest of the year, leaving Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback going forward this season.

“The surgery was done as a result of the injury that happened in the game against Washington, and Tony will be on IR,” Garrett said. “Kyle Orton will be our starter in the ballgame. We spent the week exhausting all options in regards to Tony’s situation – treatment, rehab, all the different things, consulted a lot of different people on this. We just felt like as we discussed it, as yesterday wore on, that this was the best decision for him and for our organization moving forward.”

Garrett said the ultimate decision was to have the surgery taken care of sooner rather than later. The Dallas Cowboys wouldn’t rule Romo out early in the week after initial reports Romo would be done for the year.

“We felt like the surgery went well, and Tony should be able to come home hopefully later today and start to begin his rehabilitation for the 2014 season.”

Garrett didn’t have a specific timetable at this point for Romo’s recovery, nor did he get into the specifics of the back surgery. He added that Romo, who was in the midst of one his best seasons with 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, was thoroughly disappointed about the result.

“He’s devastated,” Garrett said. “He puts a lot into this.”