Jerry Jones Biography

(American Businessman, President and General Manager of the 'Dallas Cowboys Team' of the NFL)

Birthday: October 13, 1942 (Libra)

Born In: Los Angeles, California, United States

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Jerry Jones is the man who single-handedly enabled ‘Dallas Cowboys’ to reclaim their former glory. Jerry’s association with football commenced when he started playing as a ‘running back’ for his college team. Along with some illustrious people as teammates and coaches, Jones won the ‘National Championship’ with his team. Following a master’s degree and a few failed business ventures, Jones struck gold with the ‘Jones Oil and Land Lease’, an energy exploration firm. He expanded the company extensively and made huge profits over time, and later went on to purchase the NFL team ‘Dallas Cowboys’. He didn’t shy away from taking bold decisions and immediately imposed his dynamic personality on the team, bringing about sweeping changes in the team’s management and administration. Not only did he lead the team to an incredibly successful run, but also improved its finances substantially. With a penchant for speaking his mind, he has often been involved in controversies. However, his team’s on-field successes did not endure in spite of Jones changing coaches regularly, but the financial resources of the team only got better with time. Jones might not be the most popular person in the NFL, but he certainly is one of the most effective ones.

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Jerral Wayne Jones

Age: 81 Years, 81 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Gene Jones

father: J.W. Jones

mother: Arminta Jones

children: Charlotte, Jerry, Jr., Stephen

Born Country: United States

Billionaires American Men

Notable Alumni: University Of Arkansas

U.S. State: California

City: Los Angeles

More Facts

education: University Of Arkansas

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You wanted to know

• 1

  What is Jerry Jones' role with the Dallas Cowboys?

  Jerry Jones is the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys.

• 2

  How did Jerry Jones become the owner of the Dallas Cowboys?

  Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 for $140 million.

• 3

  What controversial decisions has Jerry Jones made as the owner of the Dallas Cowboys?

  Jerry Jones has been involved in controversial decisions such as firing head coaches and making bold player personnel moves.

• 4

  What is Jerry Jones' reputation among NFL fans and players?

  Jerry Jones is known for being a hands-on and outspoken owner, often attracting both praise and criticism from fans and players.

• 5

  How has Jerry Jones impacted the NFL as a whole?

  Jerry Jones is considered a pioneer in marketing and branding within the NFL, helping to increase the league's popularity and revenue streams.

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American PeopleLibra EntrepreneursAmerican Entrepreneurs Childhood & Early Life

Jerry Jones was born to Arminta and J.W. Jones in Los Angeles, California, and spent his childhood in North Little Rock, Arkansas. His father owned an insurance company. Jerry was schooled at ‘North Little Rock High School’, where he played football in the ‘running back’ position.

He accepted a football scholarship from the ‘University of Arkansas’ and was the co-captain and starting guard on the Arkansas football team. His teammates included Glen Ray Hines and Jimmy Johnson and the team won the ‘National Championship’ in 1964 under the Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles.

Continue Reading Below Career

After his graduation in 1965, Jones worked as an ‘Executive Vice President’ at ‘Modern Security Life of Springfield’, an insurance company in Missouri owned by his father.

In 1967, he got a chance to purchase the AFL team ‘San Diego Chargers’ but chose not to so that he could complete his master’s degree at Arkansas.

In 1970, he earned a master’s degree in business and tried many business ventures, but success eluded him until he started an oil and gas exploration company in Oklahoma, which was hugely successful. Over the next two decades, his business expanded rapidly and he established offices all over the western USA and even in Canada.

In 1989, Jones purchased the NFL team ‘Dallas Cowboys’ and their stadium in Texas for $140 million from the previous owner H.R. Bright. Prior to the purchase, the team was performing badly, with a 3-13 record until then.

Immediately after the acquisition, he sacked the existing coach Tom Landry, much to the chagrin of the fans, and replaced him with his friend and teammate from the college team, Jimmy Johnson. Even general manager Tex Schramm lasted for only a few months and was replaced by Jones himself.

In the next few years, with Jones personally involved in the team’s every aspect, the team improved by leaps and bounds. In 1992, Jones was selected to the ‘NFL Competition Committee’, a position rarely offered to team owners.

In 1992, the ‘Dallas Cowboys’ had an outstanding season as they not only set records for most wins in a season but also won the ‘Super Bowl’ in an emphatic fashion the next year by crushing ‘Buffalo Bills’ 52-17, ending a fifteen-year wait for the fans.

In the 1993 season, the team continued its success streak as Jones led them to another ‘Super Bowl’ final, where they again prevailed over ‘Buffalo Bills’, defeating them 30-13 this time.

Apart from their on-field successes, the team also did great business under Jones. They were the ‘Most Valuable Franchise’ from 1993 to 1995 and for 160 consecutive matches the stadiums hosting the team’s matches were sold-out.

Continue Reading Below

In 1994, Jones sacked Jimmy Johnson as the coach and replaced him with another former teammate from college, Barry Switzer.

The team won the ‘Super Bowl’ again in 1996, which was followed by a relatively unsuccessful period. Jones changed coaches five times since then, but the Cowboys haven’t been able to repeat their heroics.

In 2008, he rebuked referee Ed Hochuli in public related to a particular decision and was subsequently fined $25,000 by the NFL. The next year, he disobeyed a gag order on Labor issues, for which he was again fined heavily.

He has also been heavily criticized for working as his own general manager. In 2018, while talking to a reporter for Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jones stated that being the general manager easies out decision-making and promotes effective communication with the coaches.

Major Works

Jerry Jones’s purchase of the ‘Dallas Cowboys’ sparked a turnaround in the team’s fortunes. Jones made radical changes in the coaching staff, became personally involved in administrative matters, and substantially improved the team’s finances, which led to the team’s most successful run in its history as they won the ‘Super Bowl’ thrice in four years.

Awards & Achievements

Jones was featured on the list of ten people chosen by ‘Ernst & Young’ magazine for the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ in 1994.

In 1995, the ‘Financial World’ magazine proclaimed him the owner of the most valuable sports organization in professional sports.

Personal Life & Legacy

While studying at the University of Arkansas, Jones met Gene, who had formerly won a beauty pageant. They got married in 1963 and have three children and nine grandchildren. All their children hold high-profile positions in the ‘Dallas Cowboys’ team.

In the 1998 film ‘BASEketball’, the character of Baxter Cain, the owner of the team ‘Dallas Felons’ is based on him.

Jones has set up the ‘Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation’ to help various charities that work for the youth in Arlington, Texas.

Facts About Jerry Jones

Jerry Jones is known for his extravagant taste and has a private yacht named "Bravo Eugenia" which he uses for entertaining guests and clients.

He once purchased a luxury bus that he dubbed the "Eugene Express" to travel to Dallas Cowboys games in style.

Jerry Jones is an avid art collector and has an impressive collection that includes works by renowned artists such as Picasso and Monet.

He is a big fan of country music and has been known to attend concerts and music festivals in his free time.

Jerry Jones is also a philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to various charities and causes over the years.

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