Cowboys Scoop: Jerry Has Twice ‘Come Close’ to Enshrining Jimmy Johnson in Ring of Honor
FRISCO - The grudge match involving Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson has existed for a quarter of a century and Dallas Cowboys observers are calling for its end now that coach Johnson will join owner Jones in the the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Those same observers are also calling for Jones to relent and include the Super Bowl-winning coach in his Cowboys Ring of Honor - and 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.
That's a positive sign that a thawing of their icy relationship can happen now, as Johnson's absence from the hallowed ring of names at AT&T Stadium - long an oversight - will now seem an oddity given that Johnson have leap-frogged right over being honored by his team to being honored by professional football.
"To Jimmy I say, ‘The stars were aligned and our dreams came true when we joined the Dallas Cowboys,'' Jerry said in a statement shortly after Johnson was surprised with the news live on the FOX Sports set. "And on behalf of the Cowboys, and our fans all over the world, I say congratulations Jimmy. We're proud of you."
Down deep, that pride 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. "When you put in the work that we put in, it’s nice to know people appreciate it.''
A 2020 Ring of Honor induction 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.
