Jerry Jones

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jones's journey began in Los Angeles before moving to North Little Rock, Arkansas, where his parents owned two branches of Pat's Super Market. After graduating high school in 1960, he attended the University of Arkansas, playing as an offensive lineman under Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles alongside future NFL coach Jimmy Johnson. Following graduation, Jones worked as an executive vice president at his family's Modern Security Life Insurance Co. in Springfield, Missouri, which saw assets rise from $440,299.76 in 1961 to $6,230,607 by 1965. In a bold move before owning the Cowboys, he borrowed money from Jimmy Hoffa's Teamsters union to open Shakey's Pizza Parlor restaurants and attempted to buy the San Diego Chargers in 1966. After establishing a successful oil and gas business, Jones Oil and Land Lease, he acquired the financially struggling Dallas Cowboys. The team was losing $1 million per month at the time of sale, but under Jones, it appreciated to an estimated $12.5 billion.

In Their Own Story

On February 25, 1989, Jerral Jones finalized his purchase of the Dallas Cowboys from Bum Bright for $140 million. His first major move was firing Tom Landry, the only coach in team history up to that point, despite Landry's legendary status. Jones had promised himself he would not buy the team unless he could hire Jimmy Johnson, his former teammate and the then-coach of the Miami Hurricanes. He also removed general manager Tex Schramm to assume complete control over football operations. The transition began with a 1–15 season, but the franchise quickly rebuilt, winning Super Bowl XXVII in the 1992 season and Super Bowl XXVIII the following year under Johnson. When Johnson departed, Jones hired Barry Switzer, who won Super Bowl XXX in the 1995 season. Jones's hands-on approach later sparked conflicts with coaches like Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, leading to Johnson's exclusion from the Ring of Honor for 30 years until his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Reader's Guide

Fans visiting the Cowboys must recognize that their owner acts as both president and general manager, a rare dual role shared only with Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals among active owners. Jones is known for his high visibility on the sideline, often wearing suits or ponchos, which contrasts sharply with previous owners like Bum Bright and Clint Murchison Jr. who remained in the background. The franchise's financial success is largely credited to Jones securing Fox as the NFC's primary broadcaster, a deal that helped propel NFL revenues to over $1.2 billion per season. Visitors should note the deep history of his relationship with Jimmy Johnson; while they won two Super Bowls together, their partnership ended acrimoniously after the 1993 season due to disputes over personnel control. Additionally, Jones played an instrumental role in 2016 by brokering a deal between Stan Kroenke, Dean Spanos, and Mark Davis that allowed the St. Louis Rams to move back to Los Angeles, ensuring SoFi Stadium's approval via a 30–2 owners' vote.

Did You Know?

• Jones borrowed money from Jimmy Hoffa's Teamsters union to open Shakey's Pizza Parlor restaurants after college.
• He was an offensive lineman and co-captain of the University of Arkansas' 1964 national championship football team.
• At the time of his purchase, predecessor Bum Bright claimed the Cowboys were losing $1 million per month.
• Jones refused to induct Jimmy Johnson into the Cowboys Ring of Honor for 30 years until December 30, 2023.
• In 1971, Jones and his wife carved out 400 acres of their ranch to start Buena Vista Animal Paradise.