Jerry Jones is like a fine wine that only gets better with age. That’s if you ask Jerry Jones, of course.
In an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jones made the case that he’s better now than ever before.
Jones said, “I have just got a lot more to offer today than I did 25 years ago. I’m not bragging. I am just saying it’s from sheer input. And I’m thankful I have got the health and thankful that I’ve got the enthusiasm. I should be better. Not only should I be better in the draft room, but I should be better in almost any aspect.”
Speaking about his age, Jones said, “One of the things I don’t do is I don’t look in mirrors because I think I look like you do. I think I can do the same thing you can do out there. . . . What is amazing to me, I have never felt like I have worked a day in the last 28, 29 years. I’m not patronizing you guys, but I’m having fun right now.”
Jones’ draft room performance last year was quite on point when he selected the two rookies, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, who were most visibly responsible for Dallas’ playoff run. Jones also has to be given credit for winning the Tony Romo retirement scenario. According to Pro Football Talk, Jones lobbied CBS hard to hire Romo, which might turn out to be a great thing for Romo in the long run. But, the hire was a coup for Jones, who managed to keep his extremely capable quarterback from signing with a team that could hurt Dallas.
However, Jones also had some misses in his career. After all, this is the same Jerry Jones who had to be restrained from drafting Johnny Manziel, and the same Jones who gambled huge on players with serious character issues, only to have those players leave the Cowboys without providing the championships that would justify all the headaches they had caused.
And, of course, there’s Jones decision to part ways with Jimmy Johnson after the Cowboys won two Super Bowls with him in the early 90’s.
While no one will ever know for sure, the Cowboys team Johnson assembled could have won four or five Super Bowls. It could have been the Patriots before the Patriots. But, again, we’ll never know, because Jones’ inability to work with Johnson led to their “divorce.”
If Jones can manage to win a Super Bowl with a team not assembled by Jimmy Johnson, it will go a long way towards solidifying his legacy.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn
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