Though this chapter of his 2020 Dallas Cowboys is closing, the book is far from over
Jerry Jones knew his words were going to come off curious as soon as they left his mouth.
But the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager didn’t retreat from claiming to be surprised by the team’s disappointing season because he felt the 2020 roster is as talented as they have ever had.
Jones called the Cowboys’ season “unique” in terms of how the pandemic impacted their ability to implement schemes in coach Mike McCarthy’s first year.
But Jones still had high expectations for the Cowboys because of what he perceived as one of the team’s most talented rosters, but that was before he lost more $70 million of the team’s 2020 salary cap due to injuries.
“You use the word disappointing, and that certainly is that, but it’s been unique,” Jones said on his radio show on 105.3 The Fan. “And that has to do with the things that everybody worked through, and that was no training camp. But I certainly think this ranks as one of the most surprising [seasons]. I thought we had, personnel-wise, one of the best teams we’ve had.”
Jones said the lack of available talent and how it has compromised the Cowboys was highlighted by the team having no players selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in since 1989 when they finished 1-15.
Jones said it’s not just the losses of top players like quarterback Dak Prescott, guard Zack Martin and tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, but how their absences has impacted the play of others players on the team who could have been potential Pro Bowl players.
He said the two-game winning streak doesn’t mask the issues brought about by the absence of talent.
“They’re so apparent, the issues. And it’s so obvious. I’ll just speak directly to the personnel,” Jones said. “You can look at the Pro Bowl alone and you can see that we have no Pro Bowlers.”
This is the first season since 1989 that the team had no Pro Bowl selections, although, that 1-15 team did have 12 players who would eventually achieve that status. “They became Pro Bowlers, and we won three world championships,” he said.
Jones, however, says he is encouraged by the team’s improved play over the last couple weeks and the confidence they have gained by winning.
He said finishing strong is more important than tanking to get a higher draft pick, even if they don’t surpass the Washington Football Team and make the playoffs.
“There’s an old adage that I’ve always heard since I’ve been in sport, and [it goes] way back at the college level: ‘They remember what you do in November and December,’” Jones said. “And, so, I think it’s important. It’s motivating to finish up strong, individually as well as as a team.”
