Jerry Jones
Encyclopedia
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones (born October 13, 1942) is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys
.
. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas
when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School. He attended college at the University of Arkansas
where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma
fraternity. He was also a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship football team. He was an all-Southwest Conference offensive lineman for Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles
and a teammate of Neil Rosenberg and Jimmy Johnson
. Other notable teammates were Glen Ray Hines
, a consensus All-American offensive tackle, Ken Hatfield
, Jim Lindsey
, and future Outland Trophy winner Loyd Phillips
. Several future great head coaches were assistant coaches for Frank Broyles
and the Razorbacks during his college career in Fayetteville including Hayden Fry
, future legendary Head Coach at the University of Iowa
, Johnny Majors
, future Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh
and the University of Tennessee
, and most notably Barry Switzer
, Hall of Fame coach of the University of Oklahoma
. Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player.
When he graduated college in 1965, he was hired as an executive vice president at Modern Security Life of Springfield, Missouri, his father's insurance company. He received his Masters degree in business in 1970. After several unsuccessful business ventures (including passing up the opportunity to purchase the American Football League
's San Diego Chargers
in 1967), he began an oil and gas exploration business in Arkansas
, Jones Oil and Land Lease, which became phenomenally successful. His privately-held company currently does natural resource prospecting.
, to that point the only coach in the team's history, in favor of his old teammate at Arkansas, Jimmy Johnson
. A few months later, he forced out longtime general manager Tex Schramm
, and assumed complete control over football matters.
After the 1993 Super Bowl victory, reports began to surface in the media that Jones had made the statement that "any one of 500 coaches could have won those Super Bowls", given the type of talent that he (Jones) had drafted and signed for the team. Jones also stated to reporters at a late night cocktail party that he intended to replace Johnson with former University of Oklahoma
coach Barry Switzer
. The next morning, however, Jones famously denied those reports by stating that it "was the whiskey talking". Johnson was eventually forced out in 1994 and Switzer was hired to be the new head coach.
He is one of two NFL owners who also have the title or powers of general manager, the other being the Cincinnati Bengals
' Mike Brown.
Of all the owners in American professional sports, he is considered to be one of the most involved, on a day-to-day basis, with his team. He can be seen in his box at every Cowboys game and in many cases he ventures down to the Cowboys sideline (usually late in the game).
, in three states (Virginia, Delaware and Texas). He is often vilified by fans who remain bitter at Jones' unceremonious firing of fan-favorite Landry. Some of the fan criticism is due to Jones' high visibility and involvement as the "face of the team" which is in stark contrast to original owner Clint Murchison Jr
.
Some Dallas Cowboy fans have expressed their displeasure with Jones and the lack of success in the franchise. This had led to formation of grassroots organizations aimed at displacing Jones from his position.
Jones is the subject of a book published September 1, 2008 titled Playing to Win by David Magee. In the book, Jones says he handled the firing of Tom Landry
poorly and takes some blame for the disintegration of his relationship with Jimmy Johnson
.
On April 14, 2010, Jones was caught on video making disparaging comments about Bill Parcells and Tim Tebow.
after Hochuli made a controversial call in a game between the San Diego Chargers
and the Denver Broncos
on September 14, 2008. He made comments both to the press and on his radio show, saying Hochuli was one of the most criticized officials in the NFL. This was Jones' first fine by the NFL.
In 2009, Jones was fined for violating a gag order on labor issues. Commissioner Roger Goodell
had issued a gag order for all owners and team executives from discussing any aspect of the pending labor issues. Jones "crossed the line", drawing a "six-figure" fine, sources said, as the commissioner distributed a memo to all 32 owners, along with a reminder that the gag order remains in effect. Goodell did not disclose the specific amount of Jones' fine in the memo.
), owner of the Dallas Felons, in the 1998 film BASEketball
. He had a brief cameo appearance as himself in the 1998 made-for-television reunion movie Dallas: War of the Ewings
. He also appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show "Coach" in 1996. He also appeared as himself in a 2007 television commercial for Diet Pepsi MAX
, which also featured then Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips
and quarterback Tony Romo
. Jones most recently starred in a commercial for Papa John's in which a stunt man performs a dance act. Jones also appeared in the seventh season of the HBO series Entourage
as himself in 2010.
Stephen
(born July 21, 1964) is a graduate of the University of Arkansas
and serves as the Cowboys' chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel. Charlotte (born July 26, 1966) is a Stanford graduate and serves as the Cowboys' vice president/director of charities and special events. Jerry, Jr
(born September 27, 1969) is a graduate of Georgetown University
who earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University
, is the Cowboys' chief sales and marketing
officer/vice president.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Early life
Jones was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas
North Little Rock, Arkansas
the city was 62.55% White, 33.98% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races...
when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School. He attended college at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
fraternity. He was also a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship football team. He was an all-Southwest Conference offensive lineman for Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles
Frank Broyles
John Franklin Broyles is a former American football player and coach, athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach the University of Missouri in 1957 and at the University of Arkansas from 1958 to 1976...
and a teammate of Neil Rosenberg and Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
. Other notable teammates were Glen Ray Hines
Glen Ray Hines
Glen Ray Hines is a former American college and professional football player.Hines played collegiately for the University of Arkansas and was drafted by the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals and the American Football League's Houston Oilers in 1965...
, a consensus All-American offensive tackle, Ken Hatfield
Ken Hatfield
Ken Hatfield is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the United States Air Force Academy , the University of Arkansas , Clemson University , and Rice University , compiling a career college football record of 168–140–4.-Playing...
, Jim Lindsey
Jim Lindsey
James Edgar Lindsey is a former American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League, having played from 1966 to 1972....
, and future Outland Trophy winner Loyd Phillips
Loyd Phillips
Loyd Phillips is a former professional football player and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the winner of the 1966 Outland Trophy as the country's most outstanding interior lineman while playing at the University of Arkansas.As a defensive tackle at Arkansas, Phillips was...
. Several future great head coaches were assistant coaches for Frank Broyles
Frank Broyles
John Franklin Broyles is a former American football player and coach, athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach the University of Missouri in 1957 and at the University of Arkansas from 1958 to 1976...
and the Razorbacks during his college career in Fayetteville including Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
, future legendary Head Coach at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors is a former American football player and coach. A standout halfback at the University of Tennessee, he was an All-American in 1956 and a two-time winner of the Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished second to Paul Hornung in voting for...
, future Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, and most notably Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
, Hall of Fame coach of the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player.
When he graduated college in 1965, he was hired as an executive vice president at Modern Security Life of Springfield, Missouri, his father's insurance company. He received his Masters degree in business in 1970. After several unsuccessful business ventures (including passing up the opportunity to purchase the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1967), he began an oil and gas exploration business in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Jones Oil and Land Lease, which became phenomenally successful. His privately-held company currently does natural resource prospecting.
Dallas Cowboys
In 1989, Jones purchased the Cowboys from H.R. "Bum" Bright for $140 million. Soon after the purchase, he fired long time coach Tom LandryTom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
, to that point the only coach in the team's history, in favor of his old teammate at Arkansas, Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
. A few months later, he forced out longtime general manager Tex Schramm
Tex Schramm
Texas Earnest "Tex" Schramm, Jr. was the original president and general manager of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise. Schramm became the head of the Cowboys when the former expansion team started operations in 1960.-Early life and career:Despite his name, Schramm was not born...
, and assumed complete control over football matters.
After the 1993 Super Bowl victory, reports began to surface in the media that Jones had made the statement that "any one of 500 coaches could have won those Super Bowls", given the type of talent that he (Jones) had drafted and signed for the team. Jones also stated to reporters at a late night cocktail party that he intended to replace Johnson with former University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
coach Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
. The next morning, however, Jones famously denied those reports by stating that it "was the whiskey talking". Johnson was eventually forced out in 1994 and Switzer was hired to be the new head coach.
He is one of two NFL owners who also have the title or powers of general manager, the other being the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
' Mike Brown.
Of all the owners in American professional sports, he is considered to be one of the most involved, on a day-to-day basis, with his team. He can be seen in his box at every Cowboys game and in many cases he ventures down to the Cowboys sideline (usually late in the game).
Criticism
In an online poll from October 8, 2003, Jones was named the least favorite sports personality by Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, in three states (Virginia, Delaware and Texas). He is often vilified by fans who remain bitter at Jones' unceremonious firing of fan-favorite Landry. Some of the fan criticism is due to Jones' high visibility and involvement as the "face of the team" which is in stark contrast to original owner Clint Murchison Jr
Clint Murchison, Jr.
Clint William Murchison Jr., was a businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team.A son of Clint Murchison, Sr...
.
Some Dallas Cowboy fans have expressed their displeasure with Jones and the lack of success in the franchise. This had led to formation of grassroots organizations aimed at displacing Jones from his position.
Jones is the subject of a book published September 1, 2008 titled Playing to Win by David Magee. In the book, Jones says he handled the firing of Tom Landry
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
poorly and takes some blame for the disintegration of his relationship with Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
.
On April 14, 2010, Jones was caught on video making disparaging comments about Bill Parcells and Tim Tebow.
NFL fines
Jones was fined $25,000 by the NFL for publicly criticizing referee Ed HochuliEd Hochuli
Edward G. Hochuli is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and better known as an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85...
after Hochuli made a controversial call in a game between the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 14, 2008. He made comments both to the press and on his radio show, saying Hochuli was one of the most criticized officials in the NFL. This was Jones' first fine by the NFL.
In 2009, Jones was fined for violating a gag order on labor issues. Commissioner Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell
Roger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
had issued a gag order for all owners and team executives from discussing any aspect of the pending labor issues. Jones "crossed the line", drawing a "six-figure" fine, sources said, as the commissioner distributed a memo to all 32 owners, along with a reminder that the gag order remains in effect. Goodell did not disclose the specific amount of Jones' fine in the memo.
Jones in popular culture
Jones was the inspiration for the character Baxter Cain (Robert VaughnRobert Vaughn
Robert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
), owner of the Dallas Felons, in the 1998 film BASEketball
BASEketball
BASEketball is a 1998 American David Zucker comedy starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Dian Bachar, Robert Vaughn, Ernest Borgnine, Yasmine Bleeth, and Jenny McCarthy...
. He had a brief cameo appearance as himself in the 1998 made-for-television reunion movie Dallas: War of the Ewings
Dallas: War of the Ewings
Dallas: War of the Ewings was the second of the two Dallas reunion movies. It aired on CBS on April 24, 1998, a little less than a year and a half after the first movie, Dallas: J.R...
. He also appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show "Coach" in 1996. He also appeared as himself in a 2007 television commercial for Diet Pepsi MAX
Diet Pepsi Max
-Product information:Pepsi Max contains 69 milligrams of caffeine per 355ml . Diet Pepsi contains 24 milligrams of caffeine per 237ml.-History:...
, which also featured then Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
and quarterback Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
. Jones most recently starred in a commercial for Papa John's in which a stunt man performs a dance act. Jones also appeared in the seventh season of the HBO series Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
as himself in 2010.
Personal life
Jerry Jones is married to Gene Jones and they have three children: Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr. They also have nine grandchildren.Stephen
Stephen Jones (Dallas Cowboys)
Stephen Jones is the current Executive Vice President/COO for the Dallas Cowboys.-References:...
(born July 21, 1964) is a graduate of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and serves as the Cowboys' chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel. Charlotte (born July 26, 1966) is a Stanford graduate and serves as the Cowboys' vice president/director of charities and special events. Jerry, Jr
Jerry Jones, Jr.
Jerry Jones, Jr. is the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of the Dallas Cowboys. Since 1996, Jones was the guiding force behind the now defunct Dallas Desperados.-References:...
(born September 27, 1969) is a graduate of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
who earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, is the Cowboys' chief sales and marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
officer/vice president.
External links
- Forbes topic page on Jerry Jones. Forbes. Accessed April 2010.