Jerry Jones has been the face of the Dallas Cowboys for over three decades, but the 83-year-old owner says his exit will be as surprising as a Hail Mary in the final seconds. In a candid interview with The Athletic, Jones revealed that there is no scripted farewell tour, no grand goodbye—just a sudden departure that will catch everyone off guard.
“I don’t have a succession plan, I don’t,” Jones said. “One day I just won’t be here to toss my two cents in.” That’s vintage Jerry—blunt, unapologetic, and with a hint of mischief. The man who bought the franchise for $140 million in 1989 has built a legacy that includes three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s, but the last 30 years have been a drought that has tested even the most loyal Cowboys fans.
The team is hoping to change that narrative in 2026. After missing the playoffs in 2025, Dallas boasted one of the league’s most explosive offenses, and the defense has received a major boost with the addition of former Ohio State standout Caleb Downs. There’s a renewed sense of optimism in Big D, but the shadow of Jones’ eventual exit looms large.
When asked about his son, Stephen Jones, who is widely expected to take over the reins, Jerry didn’t hold back his praise. “He’s about as good as anybody I’ve ever been around in giving deference when he should. Now, don’t confuse that with lack of intensity,” he said. “He’ll bite back real hard when he has to. Real hard. He just does it with more grace than I do.”
Stephen, for his part, isn’t eager to see that day come. “We certainly don’t wanna think about that,” he said of the Joneses no longer owning the Cowboys. “We don’t want it to be that way.”
Jones’ comments come amid a flurry of Cowboys headlines, from heated joint-practice brawls with the Saints to the recent signing of veteran pass-rusher Von Miller, who famously met Dak Prescott in Las Vegas before sealing his move to Dallas. The team is clearly all-in for a championship push, but the front office’s future remains as uncertain as a last-second field goal.
For now, Jerry Jones remains as hands-on as ever, but his words serve as a stark reminder that even the most iconic figures in sports eventually fade away. When that moment comes, it won’t be with a press conference or a farewell tour—it’ll be with the suddenness of a turnover, leaving fans and analysts alike scrambling for answers.
As the Cowboys gear up for what they hope is a special season, the only certainty is that change is coming. Whether it’s a Super Bowl parade or a quiet exit from the owner’s box, Jerry Jones will do it his way—unpredictable until the very end.
