In Wednesday’s postmortem press conference for the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season, Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, and Brian Schottenheimer covered a lot of topics. One of the biggest sound bites from the media
session was Jerry’s expressed goal of finishing his ownership run with the most Super Bowls in NFL history. While highly unrealistic at this point, the brazen statement also reflected just how misguided Jones’s effort to achieve that feat is, and how little he even understands his own motivation.
There were several moments on Wednesday when Jones tried to reassure Cowboys fans that he was as passionate about winning as anything else. But this particular notion of retiring with more Super Bowls than any other owner was hyperbole at best. New England’s Bob Kraft currently sets the bar with six, meaning Jerry would need four more championships to pass him.
Interestingly, Jones’ three Super Bowls from the 1990s put him in second place. Even though franchises like Pittsburgh and San Francisco are right up top with the Cowboys and Patriots for most total championships, their wins spanned different owners. So, at least in terms of competition for his goal, Jones only has one guy to beat.
In the very same press conference, though, Jerry displayed some of the very things that have prevented him from building on that early success. When asked if Brian Schottenheimer would be allowed to choose the next defensive coordinator, Jones made clear that he was the final arbiter of that decision. He quickly threw in that Schottenheimer would be heavily involved in the process, and that he was in on the hiring decision of Matt Eberflus as well.
But Jones’ first response, and instinct, was territorialism. Just as it’s been for over 30 years, the Cowboys are Jones’ favorite toy. He’s only going to share, or even pretend to, so much. His response shows his continued desire to get primary credit for whatever the team achieves.
Another continued theme in the conference was Jones’ effort to justify the Micah Parsons trade. It was why they were able to obtain Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, why they now have the cap space to re-sign George Pickens and Javonte Williams, and why they have the extra resources to quickly renovate the defense. He was defensive about how his failed negotiations with Parsons were characterized, and clearly, it’s still gnawing at him as it worked its way into multiple answers.
Yes, the team does have extra cap space and picks from the Parsons deal. But much of what the team has done and will do would have been capable through other means, and you’d still have the elite pass rusher that your defense so sorely missed. But this article isn’t about evaluating that trade, rather the man who seems hellbent on proving the naysayers wrong.
But again, that’s been Jerry Jones since 1994. His entire handling of the Cowboys since Jimmy Johnson’s exit has been about trying to prove he could’ve done this without him. Even when he brings up the Parsons deal, he often tries to draw the comparison to the famous 1989 Herschel Walker trade, often credited to Johnson and considered the bedrock of Dallas’ 90s dynasty. Jones so badly wants this Parsons deal to yield similar results and maybe improve the perception of Jones’ inadequacy as a general manager.
That’s the thing, though. Jerry Jones misspoke in the press conference. He doesn’t want to be the “owner” with the most Super Bowl wins. He wants to be the most successful general manager in NFL history. And it’s that true motivation that’s actually sabotaging his perception as an owner.
Off the field, Jones the owner has few rivals. He has the world’s most valuable sports franchise and arguably the strongest brand of any team in existence. He is consistently credited with reshaping the financial landscape of the NFL and arguably the rest of American professional sports along with it. He’s been an innovator and even a rebel at times, and has the loyalty and love of many former players. Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and Larry Allen all had Jerry present them during their Hall of Fame inductions.
Unfortunately, Jones the general manager has fallen woefully short. He’s struggled to navigate the salary cap, struck out on several big trades, and been consistently unable to put all the pieces together at the same time. When his offense leads the league, the defense is generally one of the worst. When he’s built a clearly talented roster, either the quarterback, coach, or both haven’t been strong enough to take it to the top. He didn’t even have enough football sense to make sure his stadium was built in a proper direction to the sun.
Jerry Jones still wants the credit for building a winner, no matter how much evidence mounts that he and his family aren’t equipped to do it. Bob Kraft won six Super Bowls because he stayed out of Scott Pioli, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady’s ways. But Jones just can’t do that, and that’s why his statement rings so hollow.
Wanting to win is one thing. Wanting to get the credit is something else. And of course, this topic is hardly new around these parts. But here we are in 2026, coming off another failed season, and it’s clear that Jerry Jones still doesn’t get it. And like most 83-year-olds, he isn’t likely to change now. But unless he does, it’s hard to imagine the Cowboys escaping this spin cycle of mediocrity and disappointment.
