DALLAS — Terrell Owens put the problem with the Dallas Cowboys at the management level during an episode of Get TO The Point, the podcast he launched Sept. 1 with comedian Chris Spencer.
Spencer asked whether the problem in Dallas is Jerry Jones. Owens said later in the same answer that Jones is all about the bottom line and revenue rather than winning.
“Yeah, it’s a management problem,” Owens said. “And I think when you start from the top, it trickles all the way down. And then again, you can have all the talent in the world, but if it’s not managed the right way, if it’s not delegated the right way, then things are going to fall through the cracks at some point.”
Jones bought the Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright on Feb. 25, 1989. He has served as both owner and general manager for all 37 years since.
Three Super Bowl wins came during Jones’ first seven seasons. Dallas has not been back to the NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, the year of the third title. The Cowboys have been to the playoffs 13 times since, without getting beyond the divisional round. No other NFC franchise has gone that entire stretch without a conference championship appearance.
Jerry Jones Said Something Similar In December
Jones addressed the role of management himself in December, a day after Dallas was formally eliminated.
“I’ll admit that the Cowboys management has played a role, a big role,” Jones said then.
The Cowboys went 7-9-1 last season and missed the postseason for a second straight year. Dallas had gone 7-10 the season before. That gave the franchise consecutive non-winning seasons for the first time since the 2000 through 2002 run under Dave Campo.
The head coach has changed during that stretch as well. Mike McCarthy was in Dallas for five seasons and went 12-5 in three of them before leaving. Brian Schottenheimer got his first head-coaching job on Jan. 24, 2025, and put together a new staff with new coordinators on offense, defense and special teams. Matt Eberflus made it through one season as defensive coordinator. Dallas fired him in January and hired Christian Parker for the job.
The defense Eberflus ran allowed 511 points, the most in the NFL. Dallas ranked 30th in yards allowed at 377.0 per game and last in passing yards allowed at 251.5 per game.
Two Head Coaches In Terrell Owens’ Three Years
Owens was in Dallas for three seasons, with two different head coaches during that time. Bill Parcells retired after the 2006 season. Wade Phillips coached the Cowboys in 2007 and 2008 and remained in the job through 2010.
Owens totaled 235 catches for 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns in 47 games with Dallas. He led the league with 13 receiving touchdowns in 2006. In 2007, Owens earned first-team All-Pro honors and set the franchise record with 15 touchdown catches. The Cowboys went 9-7, 13-3 and 9-7 during his three seasons and won the division once. Dallas released Owens on March 5, 2009.
Jones said at the start of training camp in Oxnard, California, in July that he feels pressure to win now. He also said he would be willing to give up future assets for help that could make an immediate difference.
Dallas had already made several moves. Rashan Gary, Dee Winters, Jalen Thompson, and Cobie Durant all arrived by trade. Dallas used the No. 11 pick on Caleb Downs and the No. 23 pick on Malachi Lawrence. Von Miller joined the roster in August.
Dallas starts the season Sunday, Sept. 13, on the road against the New York Giants. NBC has the 7:20 p.m. CT kickoff from MetLife Stadium.
