Jerry Jones

The billionaire owner who bought the Cowboys for $140 million and turned them into a global empire.

Jerral Wayne Jones Sr., born October 13, 1942, is an American billionaire businessman who serves as the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. Originally a running back at North Little Rock High School and co-captain of the University of Arkansas' 1964 national championship team, Jones transitioned from the insurance industry—where he succeeded his father—to build one of the most valuable sports organizations in history. His tenure is defined by decisive leadership, including the immediate firing of Tom Landry to hire his college teammate Jimmy Johnson.

Quick Facts

Current team

Dallas Cowboys

Position

Owner
president
general manager

Born

13 October 1942

Birthplace

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

College

Arkansas (1962–1964)

High school

North Little Rock (North Little Rock, Arkansas)

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.

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 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.