Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, 83, has indicated he has no succession plan in place for the leadership of the NFL team and intends to remain involved in the front office indefinitely.
"I don’t have a succession plan, I don’t. One day, I just won’t be here to toss my two cents in," Jones told The Athletic. This statement suggests a commitment to continuing his role with the organization until his final days.
Jones purchased the Cowboys in February 1989 for $140 million. Under his ownership, the team won three Super Bowls in the 1990s, in 1993, 1994, and 1996, though they have not reached the championship game since. Despite the long Super Bowl drought, the Cowboys remain one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, with an estimated valuation of $15.5 billion.
Questions about a potential successor have often focused on his son, Stephen Jones, who has been deeply involved in the team's decision-making for years. However, the elder Jones's remarks indicate he is not actively preparing for a handover.
Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman commented on the situation, suggesting that while Stephen Jones may eventually take over, it will feel different without Jerry Jones's direct involvement. Aikman believes Stephen Jones's approach, lacking his father's ego, could serve him well in the role. Jerry Jones himself has described his son as a capable assistant who has helped keep him in check.
"He’s about as good as anybody I’ve ever been around in giving deference when he should," Jerry Jones said of his son. "Now, don’t confuse that with lack of intensity. He’ll bite back real hard when he has to. Real hard. He just does it with more grace than I do."