Jerry Jones NFL Anniversary: His 3 Worst Cowboys Moves
FRISCO – Happy 31st anniversary to Jerry Jones and his Dallas Cowboys. Jones is, no doubt, a polarizing owner and NFL figure.
When Jones purchased the Cowboys on this day in 1989 for $140 million, it made history as the most anyone has ever paid for a sports team and drastically changed the trajectory of America’s team.
What started out as a promise to oversee "jocks and socks'' has expanded into Jones' world-wide influence not just in football and not just in sports ... but in sales, marketing, branding, advertising, television ... You name it.
And it's been a fascinatingly quotable ride. Search “Jerry Jones best quotes” on Google and you could be entertained for hours. He is loved, "sports-hated'' and everything in between. Yet, there is not doubt his particular form of genius has delivered on great Cowboys moves (plus three Super Bowl titles).
In honor of the 77-year-old Jones, who famously said, "I’ve been told that I have, by CAT Scans, that it’s like the brain of a 40-year-old.”… We ranked his best three moves as Cowboys owner.
Which means, it’s only fair that we also take a look (in the video above) at his three worst moves.
3. Jones’ botched chasing of wide receivers
Whether is be trading too many picks to try to get a wide receiver like Joey Galloway or passing on Randy Moss or getting tangled up with Terrell Owens … Jones and the wide receiver position have historically not mixed well. Hopefully Amari Cooper doesn't end up on this "botched'' list, too.
2. Bundling the firing of Landry and hiring of Johnson
Within the first 24 hours of buying the Cowboys, Jones fired head coach Tom Landry. Fans were not happy. But to make matters more intense, he also announced the hiring of coach Jimmy Johnson in the same press conference.
Jones has admitted to Mike Fisher that he wishes he would have handled that situation with more poise. Three huge changes squeezed into a quick timeline gave Cowboys fans a nation-wide case of whiplash.
1. The divorce with Jimmy Johnson
After hiring his old Arkansas college teammate Jimmy Johnson, the two became co-architects of Dallas’ winning culture and the Cowboys hit full stride, improving from going 1-15 in 1989 to winning the Super Bowl in 1992 and 1993.
Then, Johnson and Jones parted ways- not amicably- in 1993. The divorce left a lot to be desired and many “what if’s” have since emerged.
Don’t miss: Jones’ three best Cowboys moves
