Meet Tony Romo And Candice Crawford's 3 Sons
Tony Romo's rollercoaster love life started looking up when his path crossed with then-Dallas Cowboys intern Candice Crawford. The couple reportedly started dating in 2009, shortly after Romo's tumultuous romance with Jessica Simpson ended. The retired NFL star tied the knot with Crawford in 2011, and they welcomed their first son, Hawkins Crawford Romo, the following year.
Speaking to D Magazine, the first-time father proudly shared that he was in the delivery room to welcome Hawkins and even cut his umbilical cord. When the outlet asked how he would balance his demanding career as a quarterback and raising his son, Romo took a moment to express his sincere gratitude to his wife for understanding his commitment to football. As he explained, "I take my job very seriously — both of them, as far as being a quarterback and being a dad."
The happy couple welcomed two additional sons in the years that followed, and the NFL star retired in 2017. In a 2022 interview with CBS Texas, Romo admitted that he was grateful he no longer had a job with such grueling hours because it meant he could watch his kids evolve. The celebrated quarterback enjoys the best of both worlds, too, thanks to Romo's impressive net worth. The beloved sports star also shared some advice for new fathers: "Listen to your wife."
Hawkins Crawford Romo briefly preferred his uncle over his father
On April 9, 2012, Tony Romo and Candice Crawford became parents for the first time with the arrival of their son, Hawkins Crawford Romo. Through a statement, the proud parents revealed that they welcomed him at 5:30 p.m. Speaking to NBC 5, in 2016, the retired athlete noted that a then-4-year-old Hawkins was obsessed with Lego and even woke up in the morning looking for new sets to play with. Over the years, we've learned that the couple's eldest has specific tastes and is vocal about his dislikes.
As Romo revealed to Us Weekly in 2021, Hawkins had a hilarious reaction to a lovey-dovey scene in "Guardians of The Galaxy." He recalled, "We're watching it, and all of a sudden, someone starts to kiss." The Dallas Cowboys alum continued, "He goes, 'Romance, yuck! Fast forward.' [...] Now his little brothers are saying, 'Romance, fast forward.'" The sports commentator also shared that he had barred his young ones from watching their uncle, Chace Crawford's, hit TV show "Gossip Girl" until they were old enough.
Romo elaborated that whenever they recognized Chace on the show, he reassured them that the man onscreen was a stranger. But it might've been harder to fool Hawkins because he shares a close bond with his uncle. In 2017, Romo took to Instagram to share an adorable video of Hawkins detailing why he prefers Chace over his dad because he is older. But once the NFL legend clarified that he was actually the older of the two, Hawkins reinstated his title.
Rivers Romo shares two of his father's biggest passions
Tony Romo and Candice Crawford welcomed their second son, Rivers Romo, on March 18, 2014. During their joint interview with NBC 5, the proud mama confirmed that Rivers had already started following in his father's footsteps: "Our youngest, Rivers, our 2-year-old, out of the womb wanted a ball, wants to play football and basketball. He's like a miniature Tony." So, the celebrity couple wasted no time introducing Rivers to football and his mom even brought him along to a training camp when he was two.
Crawford later posted an adorable snap of Tony placing a football helmet on his son's head. When he was around three, his father shared an adorable video of Rivers playing as a wide receiver with his brother, Hawkins Crawford Romo. Although Rivers seemed pumped to play the game, he sweetly forgot what he was supposed to do at one point and received a gentle reminder from the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Sadly, Rivers' troubles didn't end there because Hawkins threw the ball at his stomach, and he erupted in tears.
Maybe the nerves simply became too much for little Rivers because, in 2016, Crawford shared another video of him delivering an impressive kick to a football. While he presumably continues to practice the craft behind the scenes, Rivers also seems to have found his calling in another of his dad's passions: golf. In 2017, Tony posted a series of videos of his then-3-year-old son's strong swings and noted that his middle child might even outplay him in a few years.
Jones McCoy Romo's older brothers adore him
Jones McCoy Romo, Tony Romo and Candice Crawford's third son, was born on August 23, 2017. The proud parents announced his birth a day later via X, formerly known as Twitter. The Instagram post about his arrival, meanwhile, featured Rivers Romo's excited reaction to his little brother coming home. When Candice posted a video of Hawkins Crawford Romo holding the newest addition to their family, we heard Tony asking him how he felt about his siblings. The proud eldest child answered, "I love them too much," while also acknowledging that Rivers might be a little unhinged.
Then, in a September 2018 Instagram post, we glimpsed Hawkins making his youngest brother quite literally roll on the floor laughing as he tickled him with his foot. The trio's shenanigans continued. We witnessed all three Romo kids busting a move in a February 2019 post. Although Jones seemed a little shy at first compared to his cartwheeling bros, he put his best foot forward with a little encouragement from his dad. The sweet family also showcased their individuality for Halloween 2020 as Jones was a knight in shining armor while Rivers was Spider-Man.
Although she couldn't be happier about having three boys, Crawford admitted to People that she assumed their third would be a girl because she felt so ill during her pregnancy. The sports journalist gushed that her favorite aspect of being a boy mom was how their high-energy personalities kept her on her toes, noting, "Whether it's sword fighting or playing basketball, we are constantly on the go."