Jerry Jones addressed those who feel his decision to leave Jimmy out (for now) isn’t valid.
The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up the first week of training camp on Saturday and spent their first Sunday in the California sun with the day off. Sundays are obviously an important day in the Cowboys’ line of work, but on this particular one Dallas Cowboys owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones appeared on NBCDFW to discuss the state of the team. Jerry typically does these sit-downs about a week or so into camp and they serve as miniature “State of the Cowboys” types of interviews.
In this particular interview Jerry touched on a variety of topics as noted, but Newy Scruggs also brought up the Ring of Honor and specifically brought up how Jimmy Johnson continues to be absent from it. You can watch the entire interview right here.
We have talked about this subject several times this offseason, but for the first time Jerry addressed it a bit matter-of-factly. When pressed as to whether or not he views excluding Johnson as petty, Jerry got rather defensive and said that it isn’t “all tailored around whether Jimmy’s sniveling or not.”
The reality is that this is going to be a story until it isn’t for Jerry Jones. As of last year Jimmy Johnson is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame which supersedes the team’s Ring of Honor. Jerry continues to prohibit what is literally one of the greatest coaches in NFL history from joining his team’s special club..
What’s more, Jerry is on record in noting that he will one day induct Johnson. He said so himself here. But to try and now throw attention on other players who have “laid a lot on the line on the field” as some other reason as to why Johnson is not in just doesn’t hold any water. Put whoever you want in, Jerry. Have a class of 10 people if you’d like. Johnson can be included among them. Remember back in 2011 when you inducted Larry Allen, Drew Pearson, and Charles Haley all together?
At this point Jerry is just making rules up as he goes along by not inducting Johnson. It is his franchise, as Newy Scruggs followed up with him, but nobody is buying any of these excuses any more.