Jerry Jones

Jerral Wayne "Jerry" Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942) is an American billionaire businessman who is the owner, president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).

Born in Los Angeles, California, he moved with his family to North Little Rock, Arkansas, as a child and played running back in high school, graduating in 1960. At the University of Arkansas he was an offensive lineman and a co-captain of the 1964 national championship team. After graduating he became an executive vice president at his father's insurance company, and he later built a successful oil and gas exploration business in Arkansas.

In 1989 Jones bought the Cowboys from H. R. "Bum" Bright for $140 million. He promptly fired Tom Landry, the only head coach in the team's history, in favour of his college teammate Jimmy Johnson, and a few months later dismissed longtime general manager Tex Schramm and took full control of football matters. After a 1–15 first season under Jones, the team rose quickly, winning Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII after the 1992 and 1993 seasons and Super Bowl XXX after the 1995 season. He was also instrumental in making Fox the primary broadcaster of the National Football Conference (NFC), and much of the league's financial success has been credited to him. As of November 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at $16.1 billion.

His hands-on approach, including acting as his own general manager, and the team's long stretch of mediocre results have made him one of the most disliked NFL owners. The NFL has fined him for publicly criticizing a referee, for breaking a league gag order on labor issues, and, in 2025, for making an obscene gesture at fans. Jones was named NFL Executive of the Year in 2014 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.