In an interview with Dallas television station WFAA, cornerback Terence Newman suggested Romo would be more devoted to his job without Simpson in his life.

The topic came up when Newman was asked about Hall of Famer Troy Aikman's belief that Romo does not fully grasp what it means to be quarterback of the Cowboys.

"I think that with the situation Tony was in, I think that kind of maybe hurt him a little bit - being a first-year starter (in 2007), then you have the limelight with his girlfriend and situations of that nature," Newman told WFAA. "It's going to take away from him being a quarterback, being a successful quarterback. He won 13 games and everything was perfect (in '07), but now after this past season, it was, 'Is he doing enough for the team? Is he working hard enough? You know, he's got this girlfriend, so... '

"I think that once he inherited the starting quarterback job and his relationship got into the national media attention, I think that was something that definitely hurt and took away from Tony being a great quarterback."

But in an interview with the Dallas Morning News on Monday, Newman attempted to clarify his comments, saying he doesn't believe the relationship hurts Romo, "but the public perception is that it does affect him."

"The thing they don't see is he might go (out of town), but, at the same time, he comes back and works out," the newspaper's Web site quoted Newman as saying. "He's been in there the past couple of weeks with the rest of us (working out in Irving). (Receiver) Roy Williams and me and a bunch of guys are in there busting our butts, and he's right there with us. They don't see him working out. They don't see what he puts in the preparation."

Newman's interview with WFAA occurred two weeks ago, but his comments about Romo and Simpson weren't made public until that portion of the interview was posted on the station's Web site this week.

Fans and media criticized Romo after he and Simpson went to a resort in Mexico during the Cowboys' bye week before they faced the New York Giants in the 2007 playoffs. The Giants stunned the top-seeded Cowboys 21-17 in January 2008 en route to a Super Bowl upset of New England.

After the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs last season, Romo's practice habits came into question. During the season, Williams and fellow receivers Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton complained to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett that Romo threw too often to tight end Jason Witten.