Jerry vs. Stephen: Does Jones Family Not Agree What Cowboys' 'All In' Means?
FRISCO - If you, as a Dallas Cowboys fan, are a little skeptical when it comes to the true commitment being made when team owner Jerry Jones promises to be "all in'' for 2024?
You have earned that.
If you, as a Cowboys fan, are a little confused about Jerry's meaning, given that there are obviously varied definitions for the phrase?
You are on solid ground there too.
But if Jerry and son Stephen, the team's COO, cannot agree on how to "Translate Jerry'ese'' here?
You, Cowboys Nation, have a problem.
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Stephen was asked about his father's "all in" pledge.
"I've never known Jerry not to be all in any given year," Stephen said.
That would be a perfectly fine, boring, pat answer - except that it clearly and directly contradicts Jerry's intention with his remarks, which also included a mention that "you will see us this coming year, not building it for the future."
That, simply, marks a change from a Stephen-led philosophy over the course of the last decade or so that had Dallas aiming for contention on a consistent and annual basis. ... an aim that has actually been successful - except for the Super Bowl part of the philosophy that would justify it all.
"We've got a great team put together,'' Stephen argued. "The last three years we won a lot of football games ...''
Yes, yes. But that isn't the point. And Stephen knows it. We are all aware of 12-5, 12-5 and 12-5. It's impressive. But it's not enough.
And that's why Jerry hinted at what we can call a "sense of urgency'' for the 2024 season, with less concern that usual about what financial commitments this season might mean for future years.
We're quite certain that's what Jerry was trying to say. Whether you believe the marketing-minded owner is another issue. But you shouldn't feel bad about your level of uncertainty if the Joneses themselves can't even quite unravel it.
