Skip to main content

Cowboys Anniversary Week: Jerry Jones & Jimmy Johnson Split

Johnson left the Cowboys in 1994 after spending five years co-managing the franchise to an incredible turnaround.
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

PALM BEACH, Fla. This week marks one of the most painful times in Dallas Cowboys history.

It was 28 years ago when future Hall of Fame leaders of the Dallas Cowboys - owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson - chose to get a divorce.

48E0F290-3C22-4475-9DC5-6B04D2811A3B
jerry jimmy troy
jimmy water

It was a tumultuous time full of credit-grabbing and back-stabbing, all leading to Johnson leaving the organization after guiding the team to back-to-back championships.

The tumult, credit-grabbing and back-stabbing still remains all these years later, with Jones and Johnson starting then sputtering then stopping toward full closure.

As an example: Still dangling in the air is Jones’ year-long promise to induct Johnson into the team’s Ring of Honor.

“Haven’t heard a word,” Johnson recently tweeted when asked about the subject.

Johnson left the Cowboys in 1994 after spending five years co-managing the franchise to an incredible turnaround.

The Cowboys went just 1-15 in Jones and Johnson’s first season, in 1989. But Johnson was 43-21 in his next four seasons as head coach.

Jimmy-Johnson-reflects-on-how-his-tenure-ended-with-Dallas
jimmy-johnson-troy-aikman-tear-up-in-live-hall-of-fame-announcement_5e1c23f2d253f
jimmy jerry hof

Along with that came the two Super Bowls, and then another with coach Barry Switzer in town. Johnson moved on to the Miami Dolphins and never matched his Dallas success. The Jones family sped forward as well, but has experienced nothing even close to Super Bowl success.

But since then? A long drought. A lot of pain. And yearly anniversaries to remind Cowboys Nation of glory lost.

Follow FishSports on Twitter

Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook

Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!