–This has been one of the craziest weeks in America since I have been alive. Rioting in the streets, protests and highly controversial elections have sent this country into a hellish tailspin of chaos and borderline anarchy, but what is the absolute worst news to come out of this week for me? That's right, Tony Romo's anticipated departure from his beloved Dallas Cowboys.

In a press conference Tuesday, the 36-year-old Cowboys star addressed the media for the first time since injuring his back on the third play of their final pre-season game against the Seahawks in late August. While team leadership was initially optimistic that Romo would be back on the field before too long, his injury proved otherwise. All the while, rookie second string QB, Dak Prescott, took the opportunity to break records and make history as he has steamrolled his team to an 8-1 record– the best in the league.

However, there is a bitter side to this sweet success story.

Dak Prescott's astronomical success has earned him the starting QB spot, in spite of Romo's return from injury, forcing him into the backup spot. Barring any mishaps, Romo is expected to serve the remainder of the 2016 season as the second string QB, but be released/traded in the off-season. As it stands, the Tony Romo era, the era that I grew up with, is over.

A solemn Tony Romo took to the podium to read a prepared statement, and did not take any questions. I won't recite the entirety of his five-minute speech, though I would certainly like to, but what I will say this: in a bravado-fueled, chest puffing league, Tony Romo had the courage to, be honest and vulnerable, and that is what true inspiration is. Young athletes should see this kind of behavior as a model. Instead of trying to be the biggest, badest player out there, and causing a scene when that is threatened (like most NFL players would), he is dealing with the hardest time in his career with as much grace as any person could. He has given his life to the sport, and team, that he loves. Simultaneously perfect, yet heartbreaking, the speech that Tony presented displayed a level of class that is so rare among the multitude of bloated egos in the world of sports today. His passion for football, perseverance through adversity, and seemingly inherent understanding of how to be not just a leader, but a teammate, should be his legacy with the Cowboys.

"I can remember when I was a kid just starting out wanting to be part of something bigger than myself. For every high school kid out there or college player, there is greatness in being the kind of teammate who truly wants to be part of a team. Everyone wants to be the reason they winning or losing. Every single one of us wants to be that person. But there are special moments that come from a shared commitment to play a role, while doing it together. That's what you will remember. Not your stats or your prestige, but the relationships and the achievement that you created through a group. It's hard to do, but there's great joy in that."

Those were not the words of a prideful, entitled diva kicking and screaming on his way out, in contrast to what many other athletes would be in his situation. Those were not fake, insincere talking points carefully pieced together by a press staffer. Those were the words of a man who loves his craft and his team. A man who has the selflessness to take himself out of the spotlight, if it means that it will help his team. For that, I, along with many others, admire him. The world of sports needs more examples like Romo. We need more people willing to say those things.

Now, for me, this is an especially tough pill to swallow, because I grew up watching #9 take the field. Ever since I started becoming interested in sports, I can remember watching the Cowboys with my dad (a Texas native and lifelong fan of America's Team), discussing strategies, yelling at the TV, and celebrating touchdowns. Even as young as a young child, I could speak the football vernacular like a second language and Tony Romo's Cowboys were my Rosetta Stone.

See, humans love sports because we live vicariously through the teams we support. Just like watching movies, or making art, sports have a special way of emotionally registering with us, because we make it a part of our lives-- even a daily part for some of us. Through the wins and losses, we support our teams. Even in the midst of a terrible season, we'll bring ourselves to watch and hope, because we've invested so much into these teams. Some think its a silly thing, which is okay, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think, however, that this kind of passion is important. At the end of the day, it may just be a "game", but especially today, in a chaotic world, things like sports, movies, and other forms of entertainment are needed more than ever. Football is just a game, movies are just recordings, and paintings are just a piece of canvas... and yet for some reason, we let them emotionally effect us. And I don't think that needs to change.

Some of my fondest childhood memories will always be those cool fall afternoons in football season. The smell of mom's chili blankets the house, a breeze enters the family room through the open windows.. and me and my dad yelling and cursing at the TV loud enough for the neighbors to hear as a wide receiver drops an end-zone fade.

I know it doesn't sound like much, but Tony Romo helped give me these memories, and I'm sure the same can be said about so many others like me. As a young kid, he made me want to be a good football player. Now, as an adult, he's making me want to be a good man. And much like he says himself, life isn't about awards or recognition. It's not about material success or prestige. It's about being the best person you can be, and positively affecting those around you however you can.

This event is a bitter reminder that all things eventually must end. My childhood is over, that's the idea that's bouncing around my head as all of this unfolds. But the thing about endings is that they always make room for new beginnings. As my childhood ends, my life begins. And I can't wait to see what's in store.

I can't say for certain what will happen going forward. I haven't been this nostalgic and sentimental about sports since a certain Yankee's shortstop retired in 2014. The future for Romo is unclear. Hell, there's even a chance he won't even leave the Cowboys. Nobody knows. All we know is that things are changing. And as they do, I would like to say this: though never a Super Bowl champion, Romo has the heart of one.

If things indeed do play out the way they look like they will, I hope Romo will finish his career on another team, as much as it pains me to say. He deserves the chance to let that heart of a champion make him one. He's the kind of guy who can be a catalyst for a team's success, and I think he really does have the potential to follow in the footsteps of someone like Peyton Manning. Needless to say, if he ends up dawning the jersey of another team, I'll be a fan of that team.

Thank you, Tony Romo, for using your status and influence to be a positive role model. Thank you for all you've done as a quarterback, but more importantly, as a person.

I'll miss ya.