DALLAS — Terrell Owens said Jerry Jones cares more about the money the Dallas Cowboys bring in than about winning championships. Owens made the remarks on Get TO The Point, the podcast he launched Sept. 1 with comedian Chris Spencer.
Owens believes Jones can promote the annual expectations for Dallas, regardless of whether the team meets them.
“And that’s why there’s always this expectation and people have been saying it for years,” Owens said. “It’s funny, but Jerry is not all about winning. He’s all about winning the bottom line, and that’s revenue. As long as he’s generating money, he has all these fans on, he has them duped. Jerry’s a great salesman.”
Sportico put the Cowboys at $15.5 billion in its Aug. 12 valuation. Dallas has now topped its NFL list seven years in a row and has also been the most valuable sports franchise in the world for seven straight years. Sportico had the figure at $12.8 billion a year ago, putting the increase at about 21%.
Cowboys revenue was listed at $1.3 billion. Sportico reported that only Real Madrid generated more among sports franchises worldwide. The Los Angeles Rams followed Dallas among NFL teams with a $12.7 billion valuation. The New York Giants were valued at $12 billion, and the Cincinnati Bengals were 32nd at $7.4 billion.
What Jerry Jones Paid In 1989
Jones paid about $140 million to buy the franchise from H.R. “Bum” Bright on Feb. 25, 1989. The Cowboys have said the purchase broke down to $65 million for the team and $75 million for Texas Stadium. Sportico’s figure also counts team-related businesses and real estate, including the Cowboys’ interests in The Star in Frisco.
Dallas’s last Super Bowl victory was on Jan. 28, 1996. Since the 1995 season, the Cowboys have not advanced to a conference championship game. They hold the longest active drought among NFC teams.
Owens signed with Dallas in March 2006 for three years and $25 million, with a $5 million signing bonus included. He played 47 games for the Cowboys and caught 235 passes for 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns. His 13 receiving touchdowns led the NFL in 2006, and he followed with a Cowboys-record 15 touchdown catches in 2007. Dallas released him on March 5, 2009.
The Football Side Of The Ledger
Dallas went 7-9-1 last season and missed the playoffs for a second straight year. The Cowboys have four postseason wins since 2000. Their latest came in January 2023, when they beat Tampa Bay 31-14 in the wild-card round.
Much of the offseason work went into a defense that gave up an NFL-high 511 points last season. Dallas traded for Rashan Gary, Dee Winters, Jalen Thompson, and Cobie Durant. The Cowboys used the No. 11 pick on Caleb Downs and No. 23 on Malachi Lawrence. Von Miller signed in August for one year at $5.5 million, with the deal able to reach $7.5 million.
Jones spoke in Oxnard, California, in July about the pressure he feels to put a Super Bowl contender on the field now. He mentioned he would consider trading future assets if the return could provide an immediate benefit to Dallas.
Jones is 83. He and his wife hold 51% of the franchise, with their three children splitting the rest. Stephen Jones is the executive vice president and director of player personnel.
Dallas starts the season Sunday, Sept. 13, at the New York Giants. NBC has the 7:20 p.m. CT kickoff from MetLife Stadium.
