updated 9:24 p.m. ET Jan. 10, 2008

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If Jessica Simpson gets tired of going out with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, there’s a gap-toothed New York Giants defensive end who wouldn’t mind a date with the singer-actress.

Veteran Michael Strahan came to Romo’s defense on Thursday, saying the young heartthrob had every right to go to a Mexico resort with Simpson and other teammates during the Cowboys’ recent bye week.

“You guys love to say, ’Oh, he is coming off the beach and he is dating Jessica Simpson’ — please!” Strahan said during a news conference Thursday after the Giants practiced for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys in the NFC semifinal.

“Heck, if Jessica Simpson wanted to date me, I may give her a shot,” said the recently divorced Strahan.

Strahan said he couldn’t blame Romo for the trip.

“If he wanted to sit in Dallas, they would have found some fault in that because he would have been with her if they had pictures of them in Dallas,” Strahan said. “So for them to go to Cabo or wherever they went, good for them. They deserve that time off.”

Strahan insisted the vacation also would not affect Romo’s play this weekend.

“I think anybody who thinks that because he took a few days with his girlfriend that he is going to come back and not play well or he is not going to be prepared if anything it probably stokes his fire to play even better.”

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Simpson took a lot of heat earlier this season after Romo turned in a poor performance with her at the game.

Receiver Terrell Owens compounded the problem by telling the starlet to stay away on game days. He later backtracked after talking to Simpson and Romo.

Simpson does not plan to attend Sunday’s game in Irving, Texas.

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