By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer
Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett announced that quarterback Tony Romo had back surgery and that Kyle Orton will start in the winner-take-all game against Philadelphia
Quarterback Tony Romo will not play when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday's crucial regular-season finale after he underwent back surgery and was placed on injured reserve.
Before the surgery, Romo tried several treatments for a herniated disk in his back, including an epidural but the problem persisted, forcing him to go under the knife.
With Romo's season officially over, Kyle Orton will start for the Cowboys against the Eagles. The winner will earn the NFC East title and a trip to the playoffs, while the loser will head to an early vacation.
"He's devastated. He puts a lot into this," Garrett said of Romo, adding it was the "right decision for him, and this is the right decision for our organization".
"He started his road to recovery, and he'll be back sooner rather than later," the coach added.
Romo suffered the injury in the Week 16 game against the Washington Redskins.
According to team owner Jerry Jones, the surgery is unrelated to a procedure Romo had in the spring to remove a cyst. Jones is also confident that Romo should be ready for organized team activities in the spring.
"One of the pluses for having had it done as early as [Friday] morning is that it would really contribute to him being able to get right when it comes time for the team to be in OTAs," Jones said.
"The OTAs are what we call the equivalent of our spring practice, so we would anticipate him being right on time there. We'll see how it goes," he added.
Romo finishes the season having thrown for 3,828 yards and 31 touchdowns. He has played through injuries throughout his career, including a cracked rib, a punctured lung and a sore back.
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Cowboys' Romo Undergoes Back Surgery, Out for Season - NFL 2013 Week 17