Jerry Jones celebrated his 82nd birthday on Sunday by watching his Dallas Cowboys get dismantled by the Detroit Lions 47-9. Two days later, he directed his frustrations towards a pair of hosts on the team’s flagship radio station.
Following an offseason that saw the Cowboys spend little on free agents and save big money spending on their own star players —CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott — Jones did not take fondly to being asked why he wasn’t more active on improving the roster.
Jones’ annoyance with the line of questioning had him appearing to threaten the jobs of 105.3 FM’s Shan Shariff, R.J. Choppy and Bobby Belt.
This is not your job. Your job isn’t to let me go over all the reasons that I did something and I’m sorry that I did it,” Jones said. That’s not your job. I’ll get somebody else to ask these questions. I’m not kidding. You’re not going to figure out what the team is doing right or wrong. If you are, or any five or 10 like you, you need to come to this [NFL owner’s] meeting I’m going to today with 32 teams here, you’re geniuses.
“Ya’ll really think you’re gonna sit here with a microphone and tell me all of the things that I’ve done wrong without going all over the rights? Listen, we both know we’re talking to a lot of great fans and a lot of great listeners. And I’m very sorry for what happened out there Sunday. I’m sick about what happened Sunday.
“One of the stupidest things I’ve ever done, that anybody had ever analyzed is buy the Cowboys. It was an idiot that did that. So idiot things can turn into good decisions. Smart things can turn into bad decisions. The facts are that when you make one, you don’t really know if it’s going to be good or not at the time. You want some conversation this morning, you’re getting it.”
The Cowboys have their bye in Week 7 before returning to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night in Week 8. There was already going to be a heavy discussion about the construction of Dallas’ roster considering their mediocre start and that the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback is tied for second in interceptions (6), has an 85.4% passer rating and has been sacked the fifth-most times (16) — not to mention they’ve lost four consecutive games at AT&T Stadium.
And now the Cowboys will gobble up headlines during an off week — which makes you think Jones knew what he was doing here. He’s always been a salesman.
Jones said after Sunday’s loss he was happy the bye week was coming as it will give them time to fix the numerous areas that need improvement. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence will likely remain out through the bye, further hobbling a 25th-ranked defense that has given up the sixth-most rushing yards and allowed the third-most points through six weeks.
As for change? That’s not coming for any part of the Cowboys’ roster. Head coach Mike McCarthy’s job is safe as Jones reiterated Tuesday by saying in-season coaching changes are “usually ineffective. They just aren’t good.”
On the field, Jones trusts in his players — his “outstanding personnel” as he put it — to turn around an uninspired start to the season.
“Well, first of all, where you going to go to get any players? Seriously? Where are you going to go to get any players for next week against San Francisco?” Jones said. “Now, No. 1, I’ve seen these players. I’ve seen every single one of them execute like you want the plays to be executed and do their job within the role. That didn’t happen the other day, and we paid the consequences for it. But I’ve seen the players do it.”