ARLINGTON, Texas — Whether the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys changes for 2025 is unknown. What is clear, however, is that the general manager will remain the same as it’s been since 1989.
“No. Just, no,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Sunday afternoon, when asked if he would finally relinquish the GM title. “I bought the team, I think the first thing to come out of my mouth. … Somebody asked, ‘Did you buy this for your kids?’ I said, ‘Hell no. I bought it for me.’ And I didn’t buy an investment. I bought an occupation, and I bought something I was going to do.
“I was 46 (years old). I bought something I was going to do for the rest of my life. That’s what I’m doing. So, no. The facts are, since I have to decide where the money is spent, then you might as well cut all of the bull—- out. That’s who’s making the call anyways.”
In the coming days, there will be much pontification about the head coach position. It’s one of the key branches on the NFL franchise tree. But it’s fair to wonder how much of a difference that decision will make, if the roots themselves are rotten.
At this point, the Cowboys have tried just about everything since Jones split with Jimmy Johnson in 1994.
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• Barry Switzer was similar to Johnson, in that he had familiarity with Jones dating back to their days in Arkansas and had no experience in the pro ranks but was a successful college football coach.
• Chan Gailey was an offensive outside hire with pro experience.
• Dave Campo was an internal elevation who had been in the building through the dynasty years.
• Bill Parcells was the legendary architect.
• Wade Phillips was a defensive outside hire with prior head coaching experience in the NFL.
• Jason Garrett was the handpicked chosen one.
• Mike McCarthy was the former head coach with a Super Bowl ring already on his resume.
Nothing has worked, save for Switzer taking Johnson’s team to the top once. Since January of 1996, the Cowboys haven’t tasted a conference championship game. The only other team in the NFC to carry that stain is the team that dealt the Cowboys their final blow of the 2024 season: the Washington Commanders. They’re headed to the playoffs, so they have a chance to snap their streak.
The Cowboys’ drought will hit 30 years.
“I always hide from the fact that it bothers me,” Jones said about that infamous distinction. “I like to look at the fact that over the last 15 to 20 years, we’re the sixth-winningest team in the NFL. I like that. I get to count other things. We all know what I want to do is advance in the playoffs, but that’s not really what I want to do. What I really want to do is get to the Super Bowl and win it.
“For me, it’s the thought that you can’t win the Super Bowl until you advance in the playoffs. But you can’t win Super Bowls unless you’re one of the winningest teams in the NFL, and we have been for the last 15-20 years, not counting Super Bowl years.”
In the last 20 years, the Cowboys’ .574 winning percentage is eighth in the NFL. Every other team in the top 10 has won a Super Bowl in that span. In the last 15 years, the Cowboys’ .553 winning percentage is ninth in the NFL. Six of the eight teams above them have won a Super Bowl in that span, and each one has a ring this century.
The first time the Cowboys actually climb into sixth-best winning percentage (or better) is if that stretch begins with the 2021 season. Thanks to McCarthy’s stretch of three consecutive 12-win seasons. The Cowboys’ .632 winning percentage since 2021 is tied with the Baltimore Ravens for fourth-best in the league.
When asked specifically about the failures of this season, and if Jones had any regrets about the roster he provided McCarthy, Jones owned up to shortcomings from his department.
“I think that’s fair,” Jones said. “I think that’s very fair. I always provide the roster for the coaches. If you don’t get there, you’ve always got some second-guessing. Yes, I second-guess myself, all the time. The answer is, yes. We make a lot of decisions. Some of them don’t work out as good as others.”
Jones doesn’t completely shy away from accountability. He holds court with the media more than any NFL owner and perhaps all of sports. He answers every question. But accountability has different levels. Being able to admit flaws and own up to shortcomings is one thing. But what’s the benefit if there are no consequences? Jones’ status as the owner and GM is a flaw in the system. There are no checks and balances.
It’s something Jones speaks about, even without realizing it, at times. In the final answer of his 38-minute media session after the game Sunday, Jones offered this.
“We all see there have been more turnover in GMs than there have been in coaches,” Jones said. “When you’re coming in, you’re going out.”
Well, except in Dallas. That GM has been in place for 36 years. In New England, Bill Belichick served as the head coach and general manager. He won six Super Bowls in a 20-year span but after a five-year championship drought, he was fired. The Cowboys’ drought — not for Super Bowl wins, or Super Bowl appearances but conference championship game appearances — is 29 years.
The GM overseeing the operation is at no risk losing his job.
As the general manager, selecting the head coach isn’t the only decision on Jones’ table. Cowboys’ VP of player personnel Will McClay also has an expiring contract. Jones was asked about his confidence level that McClay would be part of the front office operation moving forward.
“I’m not discussing any of that, at all,” Jones said.
Pressed on if keeping McClay is something Jones wants, he doubled down on his initial answer.
“I’m not discussing any of that,” Jones said. “I’ll discuss how much I think of Will McClay. I’ll discuss that, but I’m not going to give any type of — that can go one way or the other. That’s like it’s something that I need to be concerned about. I don’t necessarily know that.”
Trey Lance threw for 244 yards and ran for 26 in his first start since 2022 with the 49ers. (Tim Heitman / Imagn Images)
Jones was then asked to speak on how much he values McClay.
“Will gathers the information for the scouting,” Jones said. “He doesn’t pick the players. (He) gathers the information for the scouting. He’s one of the best at gathering the information for the scouting. Is he one of the people that I would use to give me information and evaluation? Yes. He’s one of them. And Will’s outstanding at this. Of course, we have a great relationship with each other.
“Is he perfect? Does he know how to say, pick all of the good players? No. We all tried to go past (Micah) Parsons. And we all waited to the fourth round to pick Dak (Prescott). So much for any brains in the room at all. … I really enjoy, personally, working with Will and I think he’s very competent. I’m not trying to downplay it, I just don’t want to make it an issue, because it’s not, in my mind.”
Jones said “he doesn’t know” if McClay wants to be a general manager in the NFL one day. McClay has garnered interest from other teams in previous years, but the Cowboys have managed to keep him. McClay’s contract status is a significant piece of business looming for the Cowboys, along with a decision on the head coach and Parsons’ contract extension.
While there’s some mystery on how it all pans out for the team, there’s no doubt who will be calling the shots. Same as it ever was, since 1989.
(Top photo of Jerry Jones: Kevin Jairaj / Imagn Images)
