Jerry Jones is No. 1 in USA Today list of NFL's 100 most important people

This should come as no surprise: Jerry Jones is at the top of the list of the NFL's 100 most important people, as compiled by USA Today.

Makes sense: The Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl in 20 years (Justin Bieber was 1). Last season, they clinched last place in the NFC East with a 4-12 record after the worst collapse in team history, according to the S-T's Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Since that 1995 Super Bowl season, they've made the playoffs eight times, and lost either the division playoff or wild card game.

But as the USA Today's Jarrett Bell notes, Jerry's being No. 1 in NFL importance, ahead of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, has nothing to do with football.

Have you been by Jerry World in Arlington lately? "The Star" Cowboys headquarters and shrine in Frisco? You can bet that'll be a moneymaker.

"People want to deal with successful and progressive entities. That's who they want to partner with," Jones told ESPN's Jean-Jacques Taylor in March, referring to "The Star."

If you say so, Jerry.

Fact is, the Cowboys franchise is worth $4 billion, according to Forbes, outranking soccer powerhouse Real Madrid ($3.26 billion) as the world's most valuable sports team.

Just follow the money. Here's the USA Today report.

This story was originally published June 29, 2016 at 9:44 AM with the headline "Jerry Jones is No. 1 in USA Today list of NFL's 100 most important people."