If it seems like the NFL and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones are waging a war with each other through leaked stories and press releases, that’s because they are.
On Wednesday, a report from CNBC claimed that a majority of the NFL’s owners would like to delay Commissioner Goodell’s contract extension. A report which flies in the face of the sports media’s portrayal of Jones as a bitter, lone wolf owner on a personal vendetta against the commissioner.
Fast-forward a few hours, and the Wall Street Journal revealed the contents of a critical letter the NFL sent to Jones’ attorney David Boies. In that letter, the league accused Jones of “conduct detrimental to the best interests of the league.” Specifically, the league targeted Jones for attempting to sabotage Commissioner Goodell’s contract extension.
Jones’ attempt to delay Goodell’s contract has become a growing source of conflict within the league.
The situation has become so bad that some owners have discussed removing Jones from the league. According to the WSJ, the league would have to establish that Jones had engaged in “conduct detrimental” to the league, in order to remove Jones from his ownership of the Cowboys. The fact that the league’s letter to Jones contained that precise language, makes the league’s letter to Jones a very big deal.
The NFL’s letter to Jones came in response to a letter from Jones’ attorney on November 14th. In that letter, Jones’ attorney David Boies wrote that, “Mr. Jones is in possession of a document that shows that certain statements made about those negotiations are not accurate.”
The Cowboys did not respond the Journal’s request for comment. Though, the statement from all this seems pretty clear: If the NFL and Jerry Jones weren’t at war before, they definitely are now.
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