Dallas Cowboys: Should Tony Romo Have to Earn the Starting Role Again?

For the past few seasons the Dallas Cowboys fans have become restless with their starting quarterback, Tony Romo. Most who call into the sports talk radio shows want him traded, benched or otherwise while others will back him tooth and nail.

There really is no middle ground to be seen.

 

The players and owners haven't been able to get together and come to an agreement to make sure there is going to be an NFL season. If there was going to be one, it seems some of Romo's teammates believe he should have to battle for the starting role instead of getting it handed to him.

One such teammate, tight end Martellus Bennett, seems to be lobbying for Jon Kitna who took over for Romo last season after a season ending injury.

Bennett was on the Ben & Skin show on 103.3 FM ESPN Radio in Dallas and said, "I loved playing with Kitna. Kitna is one of my favorite people to play with. Just being out there on the field with that guy just makes you play even harder. He made some things happen in limited time, so I think if he got a longer chance, he'd be able to do more. I hope there's a chance for a quarterback competition this year. Every position, I think we need to put more competition into it."

Bennett isn't the only Dallas Cowboy to favor Kitna over Romo. Wide receiver Roy Williams said Kita is "just as good" as Romo.

While Kitna I'm sure enjoys the support and is flattered, his response was predictably of the political correct variety.

"[Romo] understands that my role here is to support him and to serve him the best way that I can," Kitna told ESPN's Tim McMahon. "There's no awkwardness at all. He understands that, and more importantly, I understand that. That's my job."

However, while there may be more who agree with both Bennett and Williams in that locker room, Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones will apparently keep his loyalty and love behind Romo. Especially since he still has three years left on what was a six-year, $67.4 million contract.

The fans here want to see a change because nothing has really changed with this team since Romo became the starter. The team has a single playoff victory in the past 16 seasons. What used to be excellence in Dallas has now turned into a little bit less than mediocrity.

Jones seems to believe he's doing what's best for the team but apparently isn't seeing the lack of results. He can be as upset as he wants after a loss and get in front of the cameras promising brimstone and fire. But when it comes right down to it, not much change takes place.

The Cowboys will come in to the 2011 season with a brand new head coach, Jason Garrett, and apparently a new found outlook for their future.

Don't tell that to Bennett, Williams, or the fan base who don't believe this team is headed for anything but more disappointment.

Until bigger changes occur and until Jerry Jones decides to really shake things up, the Dallas Cowboys will become just another team searching for their identity in the National Football League.


Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann and National Football Authority @NFAuthority on Twitter