_(cropped).jpg) Jones in 2025 | |
| Dallas Cowboys | |
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| Personal information | |
| Born | (1942-10-13)October 13, 1942 (age 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | North Little Rock(North Little Rock, Arkansas) |
| College | Arkansas (1962–1964) |
| Position | Offensive lineman |
| Career history | |
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| Awards and highlights | |
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| Executive profile atPro Football Reference | |
Jerral Wayne Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942)[1][2] is an American billionaire businessman who is the owner, president, andgeneral manager of theDallas Cowboys of theNational Football League (NFL). He bought the team fromBum Bright in 1989.
Jones was born in Los Angeles, California, and moved toNorth Little Rock, Arkansas, as a child. His parents owned an independent grocery store. Jones was a running back at North Little Rock High School, graduating in 1960. Afterward, his family moved toSpringfield, Missouri, where his father led a successful insurance company. Jones attended theUniversity of Arkansas, co-captaining the1964 national championship football team.[3] Following graduation, he became an executive vice president at his family's insurance company.[4] After selling it, the Joneses established Buena Vista Animal Paradise.[5]
In 1989, Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys for $140 million, and swiftly replacedTom Landry withJimmy Johnson as the head coach. Under Jones, the team achieved success, winningSuper Bowl XXVII,XXVIII, andXXX. Jones stands out as an NFL owner with a successful football player background. Despite initial criticism for firing beloved personnel, Jones' leadership elevated the franchise's value to an estimated $10 billion, and his ownership of the Cowboys gives him an estimated net worth of $17 billion.[6] He played a pivotal role in securing lucrative television deals, contributing to the NFL's financial prosperity. Criticized for his high visibility and controversial decisions as both owner and general manager, Jones remains a polarizing figure among fans. Notably, he mended relations with Johnson in 2023, inducting him into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Jones also influenced team relocations and faced fines from the NFL for public comments on officiating and labor issues. Inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, Jones has been a recipient of various honors.
Jones was born inLos Angeles, California, to John "Pat" and Arminta Jones. The family moved back toNorth Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1945.[7] His parents owned two branches of Pat's Super Market in the Rose City neighborhood of North Little Rock.[8] Jones was arunning back atNorth Little Rock High School, graduating in 1960.
After his graduation, Jones' parents moved toSpringfield, Missouri, where Pat was president and chairman of Modern Security Life Insurance Co. The company, which an advertisement billed as a "one in a million" company, saw its assets increase from $440,299.76 in its first statement in 1961 to $6,230,607 in 1965 ($4,643,041.96 to $62,365,606.91 in 2024). After graduating from theUniversity of Arkansas, Jerral W. Jones was listed as an executive vice president.[9] With the success of the company, the Joneses assembled the 5,500-acre (2,200 ha) Buena Vista Ranch east of Springfield inRogersville, Missouri, in theOzark Mountains. In 1971, after selling the insurance company, the couple carved out 400 acres (160 ha) of their ranch to start Buena Vista Animal Paradise, where tourists could visit exotic animals (now Wild Animal Safari inStrafford, Missouri).[10]
Jones attended theUniversity of Arkansas, where he was a member ofKappa Sigma fraternity.[11] He was co-captain of Arkansas'1964 national championship football team. He was anoffensive lineman forCollege Football Hall of Fame coachFrank Broyles and a teammate of college football and NFL coachJimmy Johnson, whom Jones hired as his first head coach after purchasing the Cowboys.[12]
Other notable teammates wereGlen Ray Hines, a consensusAll-Americanoffensive tackle;Ken Hatfield, who went on to coach several major programs including Arkansas;Jim Lindsey; futureOutland Trophy winnerLoyd Phillips; and College Football Hall of FamelinebackerRonnie Caveness.[13] Several future head coaches were assistant coaches for Broyles on theRazorbacks' staff during Jones' college career inFayetteville, including three more members of the College Football Hall of Fame:Hayden Fry (Southern Methodist University,North Texas State University, and theUniversity of Iowa);Johnny Majors (Iowa State University,University of Pittsburgh, and theUniversity of Tennessee), andBarry Switzer (University of Oklahoma, and later head coach of the Cowboys under Jones).[13]
| Season | Receiving | Rushing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 1963 | 1 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 5.2 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 5.2 | 0 |
According to an interview with Jones onHBO, after graduating from college in 1965, he borrowed a million dollars fromJimmy Hoffa'sTeamsters union to open up a string of Shakey's Pizza Parlor restaurants in Missouri.[14] When that venture failed, Jones was given a job at his father's insurance company, Modern Security Life of Springfield, Missouri. He received his master's degree in business in 1970. After several other unsuccessful business ventures (including an attempt, again using Teamsters money, to purchase theAmerican Football League'sSan Diego Chargers in 1966),[15] he began an oil and gas exploration business inArkansas, Jones Oil and Land Lease, which became successful.[16] His privately held company currently does natural resource prospecting.[17]
In 2008, Jones formed a partnership withYankee Global Enterprises to createLegends Hospitality, a food, beverage, merchandise, retail, and stadium operations corporation serving entertainment venues.[18]
On February 25, 1989, Jones purchased the Cowboys fromH. R. "Bum" Bright for $140 million (equivalent to $310 million in 2024).[19] Soon after the purchase, he fired longtime coachTom Landry, to that point the only coach in the team's history,[20] in favor of his old teammate at Arkansas,Jimmy Johnson. At the time Johnson was the head coach of theUniversity of Miami Hurricanes, whom he had led to anational championship in1987.[12] A few months later, Jones fired longtime general managerTex Schramm and assumed complete control over football matters.[21]
After a slow start under Jones and Johnson (thefirst season under Jones, a 1–15 finish,[22] remains second only to the team'sinaugural season in terms of futility),[23] they quickly built a team often considered one of the best NFL franchises of the 1990s. The Cowboys wonSuper Bowl XXVII in the1992 season,[24] as well asSuper Bowl XXVIII thefollowing year.[25] Johnson then departed and was replaced byBarry Switzer, who wonSuper Bowl XXX in the1995 season.[26]
At the time of the sale, the financially troubled Bright claimed to be losing $1 million per month on the franchise.[27] During Jones' tenure, the Cowboys have appreciated in value to an estimated $12.5 billion, turning its owner into a billionaire in the process.[6] Much of the league's financial success since 1989 has been credited to Jones himself. In particular, he was decisive insecuring Fox as the NFC's primary broadcaster at a time when the traditional "Big Three" networks were trying to convince the league into accepting a rollback in television rights fees.[28]
Increased television revenues have played a decisive role in securing the NFL's place as the world's richest sports league, with revenues of well over $1.2 billion per season.[29]
The 2020 NFL season was Jones' 32nd as Cowboys owner, longer than the combined tenures of his predecessors.[30]
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Despite success in the early years of his ownership of the Cowboys, the decades of mediocrity that have followed, as well as his hands-on approach including disputes with African-American players over money and social issues, have made him one of the most disliked NFL owners.[31][better source needed] In an online poll from October 8, 2003, Jones was named the least-favorite sports personality bySports Illustrated, in three states (Virginia, Delaware, and Texas).[32]
Jones is often vilified by fans who remain bitter at his unceremonious firings of longtime Cowboys personnel who were fan favorites, most notably head coachTom Landry and personnel chiefGil Brandt, even though the Cowboys had done poorly the last few seasons before Jones became owner. Jones stated he did not give consideration to retaining Landry for even a season, as he said he would not have purchased the team unless he could hire Johnson as coach. Jones did not discuss the matter with Landry before announcing the decision. This was denounced by football fans and media as lacking class and respect. The Cowboys had long emphasized pride and tradition, and great performance and loyal service were expected to be rewarded. Since the dismissal, Jones indicated that he regrets the process of Landry's firing and his role in it. It later emerged that Jones' predecessor, Bright, had been dissatisfied with Landry for years and offered to relieve Jones of the inevitable criticism by dismissing the longtime coach himself prior to selling the team.[28] Bright had wanted to fire Landry as early as 1987, only to have general managerTex Schramm tell him that there wasn't a suitable replacement available.[33]
Some of the fan criticism is due to Jones' high visibility and involvement as the "face of the team",[34] a contrast to both Bright and the Cowboys' original ownerClint Murchison Jr. Jones's prominent role has led to fans expressing displeasure with Jones and the lack of success of the franchise, with particular criticism of Jones serving as his own general manager.[35] There was particular criticism of Jones over his conflict with head coachJimmy Johnson, as Jones "wanted Cowboys fans to know he had helped build those Super Bowl-winning teams", while "Johnson insisted that he made all of the personnel moves" because he had the final say in football matters and refused to relinquish this power. Consequently, Jones ousted Johnson after the 1993 season despite coming off of two consecutive Super Bowl wins, and refused to induct Johnson into the Cowboys Ring of Honor for 30 years until December 30, 2023, after Johnson was inducted the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.[36] Jones also initially promisedBill Parcells, the Cowboys' head coach from2003 through2006, complete control over football matters; however, their relationship broke down after Jones signed controversial wide receiverTerrell Owens. Parcells' successor,Wade Phillips, complained to friends about being "undermined and second-guessed, repeatedly" by Jones.[37]
Jones andMike Brown of theCincinnati Bengals are the only two active NFL owners who have the title or powers of general manager. Jones stated that working as his own general manager helps streamline decision-making and communication lines with the coaching staff.[38] Over Jones' tenure, Cowboys fans have organized a number of grassroots efforts to displace Jones from his position.[39]
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Jones is the subject of the 2008 bookPlaying to Win by David Magee. In the book, Jones admitted he handled the firing of Landry poorly and accepted some blame for the disintegration of his relationship with Landry's successor,Jimmy Johnson.[citation needed]
Jones became involved in theSt. Louis Rams move back toLos Angeles with Rams ownerStan Kroenke in 2016. He was instrumental in brokering a deal between Kroenke,San Diego Chargers ownerDean Spanos, andOakland Raiders ownerMark Davis to ensure that Kroenke'sSoFi Stadium plan passed, which it did via a 30–2 owners' vote in favor. Jones' support and role in the negotiations were criticized by some fans and sports media in St. Louis.[40] Jones was also a key proponent of theOakland Raiders' move to Las Vegas to play atAllegiant Stadium.[41]
In February 2021 the Great Texas Freeze caused the Texas power grid to fail and energy prices to surge due to deregulation. Official sources place the death toll at 246, while estimates range to over 700 that people may have died due to the weather and grid issues.[42] Jones and his company Comstock Resources Inc., received criticism for raising prices over 70x the normal rates for natural gas and celebrating huge profits from the storm.[43]
Jones was fined $25,000 by the NFL for publicly criticizing refereeEd Hochuli after Hochuli made a call in a game between theSan Diego Chargers and theDenver Broncos on September 14, 2008. Jones 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.[44]
In 2009, Jones was fined $100,000 for violating a gag order on labor issues, commenting that revenue sharing was "on its way out".[45] CommissionerRoger 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's fine in the memo.[46]
In 2025, Jones was fined $250,000 for flipping his middle finger at fans during the Cowboys' game against the Jets. Although Jones claimed that the obscene gesture was "inadvertent", he did not appeal the fine.[47]
Jones was the inspiration for the character Baxter Cain (Robert Vaughn), owner of the Dallas Felons, in the 1998 filmBASEketball. He had a brief cameo appearance as himself in the 1998 made-for-television reunion movieDallas: War of the Ewings.
Jones andDeion Sanders appeared together in several television commercials during Sanders' time with the Cowboys.
Jones also appeared as himself in a 1996 episode of the television showCoach and in a 2007 television commercial forDiet Pepsi MAX, which also featured then Cowboys head coachWade Phillips and quarterbackTony Romo.
He appeared as himself in the seventh season of theHBO seriesEntourage in 2010, in an episode of theTNT incarnation ofDallas titled "Truth and Consequences", which aired on July 4, 2012, in a series of commercials for the 2012 season of ESPN'sMonday Night Football, and in the season 4 premiere ofThe League. In 2013, Jones narrated a documentary film on former teammate and business partnerJim Lindsey.[48]
Jones also appeared in a 2013 Pepsi commercial, walking into an elevator filled with three men wearingNew York Giants apparel, who look at him with discontent.[49]
He was parodied on the first episode, "Go Fund Yourself", of theeighteenth season ofSouth Park, along with several other NFL team owners. In one scene, Jones is depicted as having huge, bulgingchameleon-like eyes, as a young woman's head pops up from his lap.[50] He reappears in theseason 21 episode "Moss Piglets."
He appeared as himself in the ninth episode ofLandman,[51] titled "Wolf Camp", alongside Billy Bob Thorton and Jon Hamm.
He is depicted inKing of the Hill Season 14 Episode 7 "Any Given Hill-Day."[52][53]
NFL
NCAA
Media
Halls of Fame
Other
Jones married Eugenia Chambers in 1963, whom he met while both were college undergraduates. They have three children.Stephen is the Cowboys' chief operating officer, executive vice president, and director of player personnel.Charlotte is the Cowboys' executive vice president and chief brand officer.[60]Jerry Jones Jr. is the Cowboys' chief sales and marketing officer/vice president. Jones splits his time between a home inHighland Park, Texas and a home inDestin, Florida.[61][62]
Jones revealed in July 2015 at a press conference before Cowboys training camp that he had undergone hip replacement surgery, joking that he would not start the season on thePUP list.[63]
As of November 2024[update], Jones' net worth is reported byForbes to be $16.1 billion,[6] the majority of which can be accounted for as being his ownership stake in the Cowboys who are currently valued by the same publication to bethe world's most valuable sports team at $10.1 billion.[29]
In March 2022, Jones was served with legal action by a 25-year-old woman who claimed that he is her biological father. The woman is the daughter of a former airline employee that Jones met inLittle Rock, Arkansas.[64] Jones has paid nearly $3 million to the woman and her mother, which included the woman's full tuition atSouthern Methodist University and a $70,000 Range Rover on her 16th birthday. Requests for money and other expenses exceeded the amount that Jones agreed to pay in the trust agreement between the parties by nearly $1 million over the years, including $33,000 for a "Sweet 16" birthday party, which was featured on the reality TV showBig Rich Texas.[65] On February 29, 2024, a court decision required Jones to undergo a paternity test concerning the woman's claim.[66]
In November 2022, a 1957 photo surfaced depicting a 14-year-old Jones witnessing an argument where White students attempted to prevent six African-American students from entering North Little Rock High School in Arkansas. North Little Rock was beginning to integrate in 1957.[67] Despite the school's head football coach ordering the team (which Jones was a part of) to stay away from such scenes, Jones said he was there as a curious bystander. Jones also stated: "I don't know that I or anybody anticipated or had a background of knowing what was involved. It was more a curious thing."[68] Jones has expressed regret in not doing more to help the Black students feel more accepted at Little Rock.[69]
In 2025, Jones donated $1 million toMAGA Inc., asuper PAC that supportsDonald Trump.[70]
In August 2025, Jones revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2010.[71]
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