The Dallas Cowboys playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday may have not only signaled the end of their season, it probably also marks the end of Tony Romo's time with the franchise.
But when a Green Bay staffer told Romo after the game, "You deserve better," he raised a whole host of questions. Chief among them, was Romo slighted by the Cowboys this season?
It's hard to say that he was. Dak Prescott may have fallen a bit short, but what he did this season in winning eleven straight games, passing for 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns and a QBR of 81.6 (the NFL's third highest behind Matt Ryan and Tom Brady) is put together one of the best rookie seasons a quarterback ever has in this league.
And in doing so, he proved himself more than worthy of the start. Not to take anything away from Romo, but the Cowboys made the right choice, which Romo even admitted.
RELATED: Jerry Jones admits the one play he regrets from Cowboys' playoff loss to Packers
Only time will tell what's next for the 14-year veteran, but the reality is, decline comes quick for the NFL's aging skill position players, particularly its quarterbacks.
Assuming that a 36-year-old Romo would have been the same player he was two seasons ago, when he finished with some of the best numbers of his career, had he gotten the nod after returning from a back injury is generally something coaches don't do.
Especially not when you've got a rookie quarterback setting the world on fire, as Prescott was. So, no. Romo actually didn't deserve better.
In a sense he got exactly what he deserved. More rest for those fragile bones.