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Jerry Jones celebrates victory over Giants with Cheshire cat grin: ‘You can’t get much more out of a win’
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
9:55 pm on November 24, 2013 | Permalink
Dallas Cowboys strong safety Jeff Heath runs a New York Giants interception back for a touchdown during the first half of their game Sunday, November 24, 2013 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (G.J. McCarthy/The Dallas Morning News(
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jerry Jones made the rounds in the MetLife Stadium locker room, beaming a big smile after the Cowboys’ 24-21 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.
He stopped to congratulate tight end Jason Witten, snaked his way past equipment bags to shake the hand of defensive tackle Jason Hatcher and popped over to linebacker Bruce Carter’s stall to offer a few words of encouragement. Then, the owner sidled up to quarterback Tony Romo and praised him.
These are Jones’ guys and he’s paid good money for their services. Jones is quick to remind people of that when he’s asked to explain why he continues to act as the team’s general manager despite the Cowboys’ unimpressive 134-133 regular-season record since 1997.
He did so again last week when Jones made a series of headline-grabbing comments that raised eyebrows from coast to coast.
In a span of five days, he expressed his desire to remain the organization’s chief decision-maker the next 15 to 20 years, extolled his recent performance as general manager, told reporters head coach Jason Garrett would be back in 2014, said he wanted more production from Romo and verbalized his support of beleaguered defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.
Jones made all of these remarks as the Cowboys were preparing for a game against the Giants that many, including the owner himself, believed could decide the team’s fate this season.
“We didn’t need the Giants to beat us in here tonight,” Jones said. “They were the favorites and our franchise, our year, didn’t need this. I think everybody sensed it but certainly…it would have been sad times over these next coming weeks had we not won this game tonight.”
But on Sunday afternoon, Jones watched his team prevail. He saw Garrett, the coach he gave a vote of confidence, deliver one of the most significant victories of his tenure.
He observed Romo, the quarterback he paid $55 million of guaranteed money this off-season, lead a game-winning drive. And he witnessed Kiffin’s widely-panned defense rise to the occasion by limiting the Giants to 356 total yards and two touchdowns.
Not surprisingly, a wide Cheshire cat grin was affixed to Jones, the face of the franchise.
“You can’t get much more out of a win than you’re going to get out of this one,” Jones said.
The victory came against a rival that has dominated Jones’ thoughts in recent seasons. The Giants of recent vintage are the team Jones thinks the Cowboys can become. After seeing the 2011 Giants rise from a 9-7 outfit to Super Bowl champion, Jones believes Dallas can take a similar path if it can just qualify for the playoffs – something it hasn’t done since 2009. It’s why he said last week on KRLD-FM the Cowboys have “been a lot closer than it seems.” And it’s why he doesn’t agree with the notion that he needs to give up his role as general manager in an effort to spark improvement. In fact, he dismisses it entirely.
“It’s an absolute labor of love and a privilege to be critiqued if the Cowboys aren’t doing good,” Jones said. “…I don’t like it. I want to do something about it to change it. But I don’t agree with what some people want me to do to change it. I hope no one thinks I am going to listen to that.”
Jones continued to smile. In the afterglow of victory, he felt even more emboldened and enthused about a team that scored a major triumph Sunday. That was made obvious when Jones was asked about the upcoming Super Bowl to be held at MetLife Stadium in February. Jones said it would be great, shrugging off concerns about the weather.
“I hope we’re in it,” he added.
Minutes later, Jones, the eternal optimist, went back to patting backs and shaking hands.
“It is an honor to get to be with the team, the league and the game,” he said.
And he’s not walking way from any of it. Instead he’ll remain front and center, where he has been for the last 25 seasons.
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
9:55 pm on November 24, 2013 | Permalink
Dallas Cowboys strong safety Jeff Heath runs a New York Giants interception back for a touchdown during the first half of their game Sunday, November 24, 2013 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (G.J. McCarthy/The Dallas Morning News(
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jerry Jones made the rounds in the MetLife Stadium locker room, beaming a big smile after the Cowboys’ 24-21 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.
He stopped to congratulate tight end Jason Witten, snaked his way past equipment bags to shake the hand of defensive tackle Jason Hatcher and popped over to linebacker Bruce Carter’s stall to offer a few words of encouragement. Then, the owner sidled up to quarterback Tony Romo and praised him.
These are Jones’ guys and he’s paid good money for their services. Jones is quick to remind people of that when he’s asked to explain why he continues to act as the team’s general manager despite the Cowboys’ unimpressive 134-133 regular-season record since 1997.
He did so again last week when Jones made a series of headline-grabbing comments that raised eyebrows from coast to coast.
In a span of five days, he expressed his desire to remain the organization’s chief decision-maker the next 15 to 20 years, extolled his recent performance as general manager, told reporters head coach Jason Garrett would be back in 2014, said he wanted more production from Romo and verbalized his support of beleaguered defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.
Jones made all of these remarks as the Cowboys were preparing for a game against the Giants that many, including the owner himself, believed could decide the team’s fate this season.
“We didn’t need the Giants to beat us in here tonight,” Jones said. “They were the favorites and our franchise, our year, didn’t need this. I think everybody sensed it but certainly…it would have been sad times over these next coming weeks had we not won this game tonight.”
But on Sunday afternoon, Jones watched his team prevail. He saw Garrett, the coach he gave a vote of confidence, deliver one of the most significant victories of his tenure.
He observed Romo, the quarterback he paid $55 million of guaranteed money this off-season, lead a game-winning drive. And he witnessed Kiffin’s widely-panned defense rise to the occasion by limiting the Giants to 356 total yards and two touchdowns.
Not surprisingly, a wide Cheshire cat grin was affixed to Jones, the face of the franchise.
“You can’t get much more out of a win than you’re going to get out of this one,” Jones said.
The victory came against a rival that has dominated Jones’ thoughts in recent seasons. The Giants of recent vintage are the team Jones thinks the Cowboys can become. After seeing the 2011 Giants rise from a 9-7 outfit to Super Bowl champion, Jones believes Dallas can take a similar path if it can just qualify for the playoffs – something it hasn’t done since 2009. It’s why he said last week on KRLD-FM the Cowboys have “been a lot closer than it seems.” And it’s why he doesn’t agree with the notion that he needs to give up his role as general manager in an effort to spark improvement. In fact, he dismisses it entirely.
“It’s an absolute labor of love and a privilege to be critiqued if the Cowboys aren’t doing good,” Jones said. “…I don’t like it. I want to do something about it to change it. But I don’t agree with what some people want me to do to change it. I hope no one thinks I am going to listen to that.”
Jones continued to smile. In the afterglow of victory, he felt even more emboldened and enthused about a team that scored a major triumph Sunday. That was made obvious when Jones was asked about the upcoming Super Bowl to be held at MetLife Stadium in February. Jones said it would be great, shrugging off concerns about the weather.
“I hope we’re in it,” he added.
Minutes later, Jones, the eternal optimist, went back to patting backs and shaking hands.
“It is an honor to get to be with the team, the league and the game,” he said.
And he’s not walking way from any of it. Instead he’ll remain front and center, where he has been for the last 25 seasons.
