‘Cowboys Curse’ Ends: Jimmy Johnson to Enter Jerry Jones’ Ring of Honor in Dallas
The grudge match involving Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson has existed for a quarter of a century and Dallas Cowboys observers have been calling for its end now that coach Johnson has joined owner Jones in the the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Those observers just got their wish as on Sunday in Charlotte, Jones relented and will include the Super Bowl-winning coach in his Cowboys Ring of Honor on Dec. 30 during the Monday night game against the Lions.
“I wanted to do it this year,” Jones said. “I feel like the time is now.” - Jerry Jones
Quipped Johnson in response: “It’s also the time because I’m still alive!”
We think it's important to note that two sources tell CowboysSI.com that such an enshrinement has "come close'' to happening twice in the last seven years. … so maybe the bitterness wasn’t as deep as it seemed.
In any event, this is a positive sign - a final sign? - that a thawing of their icy relationship has happened now, as Johnson's absence from the hallowed ring of names at AT&T Stadium, long an oversight, will be solved.
Down deep, the shared pride between these two has always been evident. Over the years, it has revealed itself in public most notably when Jones and Johnson shared laughs at a 25-year reunion of the 1992 Super Bowl champs in Dallas a couple of years ago. (That party, it's important to note, was essentially the brainchild of Troy Aikman.)
It popped up again in a positive way when Jones earned induction into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Said Jerry that summer, right after his Canton induction: "Just so we're clear, you know me: I want to make anything we do in that Ring of Honor ... I want to make it have its own special attention ... But I hope it was obvious up there (in Jones' HOF speech in which he praised Johnson) how much I appreciated what Jimmy has contributed to the Cowboys [and] his, frankly, lifelong friendship.
"Our differences, while they were certainly visible .. if you really look at our friendship over the years, there's just not that much to fuss about. And so, it was pretty easy to reflect back on his contribution and what he meant."
That was Jones' word-salad way of endorsing Johnson for whatever accolades would come his way.
Sources tell us that even as Jerry is the Ring's "one-man committee,'' the Jones family and the organization considered putting Jimmy into the Ring that season before determining collectively that 2017 should be "Jerry's year.'' ("It's own special attention.") That was one occasion of a Johnson honor having "come close.''
Many wonder why there was ever a problem, and why there would continue to be one. From the Jones family's perspective, it comes down to a simple word: "Disloyalty.''
Some Cowboys watchers (most of whom have no first-hand knowledge of the betrayal Jones felt) view that as "petty.'' But right or wrong ... Now, with both long-time acquaintances (starting as University of Arkansas teammates) in their late 70's, there seems no reason not to go beyond "coming close'' and putting Johnson's name in the Ring, joining Tom Landry and other luminaries - including so many of his players.
“This is so special to me,'' Johnson said then. "When you put in the work that we put in, it’s nice to know people appreciate it.''
A 2023 Ring of Honor induction (though Jerry accidentally gave the date as “1923”) coming after a 2020 Hall of Fame induction clearly seems backward. And awkward. But maybe "awkward'' is a fitting backdrop for the healing of the Jimmy/Jerry relationship ... and for Jerry to let Jimmy know that one of the "people who appreciate it'' is Jerry himself.
