Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo admitted following a 41-28 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night that he has been playing with a broken rib since early in the season.

Romo, in addition to dealing with a serious back issue, told reporters the rib injury occurred either in a game against the St. Louis Rams on Sept. 21 or the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 28.

“It’ll be nice when it’s just about the back (surgery) instead of all the other junk,” Romo said after the game.

Romo said his surgically repaired back is all but healed and the ribs are feeling better now. He wears a longer plate to protect his back along with extra protection for his ribs. He suffered the transverse process fractures when he took a knee to the back against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 27.

It’s not the first time Romo has played with a broken rib. In 2011, he suffered a broken rib and punctured lung and kept playing through the pain. Romo also had offseason back surgery.

Romo, who was 21 of 26 for 205 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears, admitted that he did not take any pain-killing medication prior to the team’s 33-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day which may not have been the best decision. He said he will likely get a shot before their next game in another matchup against the Eagles on Dec. 14.

“I took a (pain-killing) shot this week,” Romo said. “I didn’t last week in the Eagles game, and that was a poor decision I think.”