During a 70-minute interview on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” podcast at The Star in Frisco, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones discussed important franchise issues.
Ahead of the Cowboys’ season opener in Cleveland, here are some key takeaways from the hour-long Smith podcast: Jones evaded the subject of why he did not try to sign free agent running back Derrick Henry. Instead, he prioritized bringing back Ezekiel Elliott.
“In Zeke (Ezekiel Elliott), we had an opportunity,” Jones informed the audience. “I understand how desperately he wanted to be back with the Cowboys. Personally, I think his work in New England (in 2023) was superior than how many others perceived it. I believed he carried the letters during key periods for them.”
“I believe Zeke gives us more in the short yardage than our fans do,” Jones said.
Despite criticism for not adding many big-name additions to the 2024 squad, Jones claims that he is satisfied with this year’s roster, which opens at Cleveland on Sunday.
“I feel a lot better than some of the critiques,” Jones joked. “I’m amazed that people don’t realize we’ve assembled a great team. I believe the squad is in better shape to roll than it was last year.
JERRY'S TRUTH#Cowboys Jerry Jones to Stephen A. Smith: Criticism 'Bothers the Hell Out of Me!' https://t.co/1KyX3HX3ek via @richiewhitt
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) September 5, 2024
Following training camp, the team signed wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136 million contract. Smith questioned why Jones and the Cowboys took so long to sign Lamb.
“There was never any question on how we (Cowboys) felt about CeeDee Lamb,” Jones said.
“I don’t see any rewards or I don’t see any penalties on a timer,” Jones informed me. “Does he get on the field, and if so, when should he be there? So I had no rush to get him to the field.”
Jones stated that there were several reasons why it took the franchise so long to sign Lamb. Specifically, Jones was considering the long-term plan. “I have to look three years down the road, if you will, sometimes five years down the road,” Jones said.
“I have a really good feel, as good as anybody, about what the future is going to be for the teams in the NFL regards to revenue.
The Dallas Cowboys’ long-term plan includes signing pending free agent Dak Prescott to a new contract, but it’s a difficult decision. “Dak is a long-term decision for the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones said.
“I believe he improved with Mike (McCarthy) as his offensive coordinator…. He was definitely improved last year, and there’s still space for improvement and growth.” “When you look at what he brings to the table,” Jones remarked, “compared to the alternative.
The alternative is not a one-year option; it is a multi-year option. So, when you look at the probability of him winning the Super Bowl in the next five years, I like them.” “It’s very important that we find a way to reconcile this with Dak,” Jones told the crowd.
“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Can we have the kind of success that Dak deserves, we deserve, his teammates deserve, our fans deserve, and still be able to afford Dak?'” “I believe we can.
And those are just a few takeaways from our chat. The two also discussed Jones’ legacy, the prospect of Deion Sanders coaching the Cowboys in the future, and much more.
