The Dallas Cowboys are the NFL’s highest-profile team, “America’s Team” and the most valuable franchise in the league, but owner Jerry Jones just threw out a wild claim that explains exactly why they can’t get over the hump: he believes there is “zero correlation” between how much you pay a coach and winning in the NFL. Seriously. Jones dropped that bombshell during a radio interview on Tuesday, telling 105.3 The Fan, “There is zero correlation (in the NFL) between how much you pay a coach or how many coaches you have as to winning. There is no correlation. And that’s a random sample of years and all 32 teams involved. So put that in your hopper and smoke it.”
A Head-Scratching Philosophy on Winning
This isn’t just a casual take from Jones, it’s a foundational belief that seems to dictate how he runs the entire Cowboys operation. The team hasn’t sniffed an NFC title game since way back in the 1995 season, the same year they won their third Super Bowl in four years. Think about that, over three decades of postseason frustration. During that time, they’ve got the 11th-best regular-season record but a dismal fourth-worst postseason record. It’s screaming proof that this team just doesn’t know how to win when it matters most, and Jones’ stance on coaching investment sure seems to be a huge piece of that puzzle.
Coaching salaries aren’t usually public knowledge, so a direct correlation between pay and wins is tough to prove with hard numbers. But common sense? Good coaches usually win more games than bad ones. And good coaches generally cost more to hire. This isn’t rocket science, right? Yet, Jones, who acts as the team’s “general manager” and runs things his way, is clearly not willing to shell out for the best coaching talent available. He gives interviews to local media before his own head coach or players even speak, goes on the radio multiple times a week, and refuses to change any of it. He’s trying to prove a point, and the Cowboys’ postseason record is paying the price.
The Lingering Shadow of Jimmy Johnson and a Stacked Deck
Want to know when this whole “any coach can win” philosophy really took hold? Look no further than Jimmy Johnson. Jones famously parted ways with Johnson, arguably the best coach he ever hired, due to a feud where Jones fumed that Johnson got too much credit for the Cowboys’ success in the early 90s. At the time, Jones quipped that “any of 500 coaches could have won a Super Bowl” with that roster. It seems he’s been trying to prove that ever since, with disastrous results for the team’s postseason hopes.
The evidence is clear: Jones has barely even pretended to conduct proper coaching searches for the last few openings. Instead, he’s stacked the deck for candidates like Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy, and Brian Schottenheimer. This refusal to genuinely pursue and pay for top-tier coaching talent, coupled with his “zero correlation” rhetoric, is a bitter pill for any fan of a team that has the profile of the Cowboys but just can’t get it done when the stakes are highest. It’s a never-ending cycle of high expectations and frustrating postseason exits, and until Jones rethinks his stance on investing in the best minds on the sidelines, it’s hard to see that changing anytime soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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