Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Makes Emotional Confession About Split With Jimmy Johnson

Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson won multiple Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s. But there was animosity between the two which led to Jones and Johnson parting ways in 1994. And despite having a lot of success as the Cowboys head coach, Johnson is still not part of the team’s Ring of Honor. Jones talked about the situation during the first press conference of Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California this week and got very emotional.

“The idea of being a part and coming to training camp goes to my mind, and of course Jimmy was involved [back] in those days,” Jones said per Patrik Walker of CBS Sports. “All of that comes to mind when I think of those times,” said Jones. “We actually were together here four and a half years, and I had known him for 10 to 15 years before that, or 20 years before that, and thought the world of him or he wouldn’t have been the coach of the Cowboys.”

When Johnson left, Jones hired Barry Switzer to be the coach. But before Switzer was hired, he wanted to know where was Johnson. “When I look back at the time that we got to enjoy and what happened to us during that time, I go back to what Barry Switzer said,” Jones continued. “Barry Switzer came in the office and Jimmy had just left. Barry came down from Norman, Oklahoma, to talk about getting the job. And he comes in and he said, ‘Where’s Jimmy?’

“Now, Barry had coached us both. He said, ‘Where’s Jimmy?’ I said, ‘Jimmy’s gone.’ He said, ‘Well, that’s not right. Get him. Get him in here. Where’s Jimmy?’ “I said, ‘Barry, Jimmy’s gone. We’re sitting here talking about you being the coach.’ I said, ‘What in the world are you so anxious to talk to Jimmy about?’ He said, ‘I just want to get both you little a-holes on this couch and ask you both how could you f— this up.’”

Jones went on to say that Johnson is a “great coach” and shouldn’t have mess with something that was “working good.” And in response to Switzer, Jones said: “I’ve never been able to know why I f– it up. Not just that but anything else. No, I can’t answer that question.” Johnson left after the Cowboys won their second consecutive Super Bowl. Switzer led the Cowboys to another Super Bowl win in 1995, and the Cowboys haven’t reached the Super Bowl since.