Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won't need surgery to repair a fractured left collarbone, the team said Monday, but he could still miss half the National Football League season.

Romo is expected to miss eight weeks after taking a hard hit in the third quarter of the Cowboys' 20-10 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday.

Team doctors conducted more tests Monday and felt the shoulder would heal on its own, which would be less intrusive than surgery, which usually means a longer recovery time for athletes.

Romo said he felt a pop in his shoulder when he was sacked by linebacker Jordan Hicks in the third quarter and lost the ball. But Dallas held on for the victory over the Eagles to improve to 2-0 on the season.

They will navigate the next two months with backup Brandon Weeden at quarterback. The former 2012 first round draft pick of Cleveland had 26 career touchdown passes and 28 interceptions coming into the 2015 season.

"Brandon has done a really nice job of getting himself prepared," Romo said.

The Cowboys are 6-9 in 15 games without Romo since he became a starting quarterback in 2006. He missed 10 games in 2010 with a similar injury.

Source: AFP