Jerry Jones‘ frustration with the Cowboys’ offense boiled over into public criticism of the team’s scheme under head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
“We’re designing bad plays, or we’re designing bad concepts,” Jones said, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS.
The Cowboys finished the 2023 season with the most points and fifth-most yards in the league. Their offense has taken a significant step back this year, ranking 20th in points per game (21.0) and 12th in yards per game (336.5), with an anemic running game producing just 77.2 rushing yards per game and two total touchdowns, both dead-last in the NFL. Dak Prescott is still fourth in the league with 267 passing yards per game, though his six interceptions are the third-most.
However, the Cowboys have not been efficient through the air or on the ground, ranking in the bottom 11 in both EPA/pass and EPA/rush, per NextGen Stats (subscription required). That has especially been an issue in the red zone, where Dallas has converted just six touchdowns on 16 total trips (37.5%), the second-lowest rate in the league.
McCarthy, of course, is the rare HC on a lame-duck contact. Jones cited the wild-card loss to the Packers as the reason why McCarthy is back without an extension. Bill Belichick rumors emerged at different points during the offseason, and this figures to be one of the teams the coaching legend-turned-omnipresent media figure monitors ahead of the 2025 coaching carousel.
The Cowboys declined to add high-level playmakers in free agency or the draft this offseason, re-signing Ezekiel Elliott instead of pursuing Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rushing for the Ravens. Jones was asked about Henry on 105.3 The Fan and shot down any ideas that the All-Pro could have helped the Cowboys’ offense.
“Derrick is having a career year. I don’t know if he’d be having a career year in our situation,” said Jones, via The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. “We don’t run that type of offense at all.” Jones also blamed the salary cap for his inability to offer Henry a competitive contract, though his $8MM-per-year average was only the fifth-highest among running back free agent contracts signed this offseason.
Dallas most recently suffered a 47-9 embarrassment at the hands of the Lions, who held the Cowboys to just 251 total yards and a measly 3.9 yards per play while committing five turnovers. They travel to San Francisco in Week 8 to play the 49ers on Sunday, where a win will be paramount to keeping up with the Commanders and the Eagles in the NFC East.
Shoulda signed DH. He solves lots a problems.
He really really really needs to pass on personnel decisions to someone else. Total malpractice signing Dak AFTER Tua broke through the next ceiling. Same for Ceedee. Shoulda signed him 6 months ago BEFORE Jefferson and the rest. Would have saved MILLIONS. He should be fired, except….. dude has to retire.
I’ve been saying that since Jimmy Johnson left the organization.
You hired ‘em, dude. And you insist on making all the personnel decisions instead of hiring an otherwise more qualified football lifer to do the job properly… for instance, a good GM would never publicly complain about the team’s playcalling.
So shut your pie hole.
Just in my amateur opinion, but after Philly got toasted at the end of last year, they went hard-core defense with their first three picks, particularly two DBs that I liked.
With the Cowboys allowing 28 ppg, maybe they should’ve focused a bit more on defense, particularly since they were about to blow the budget on two offensive players.
From people I know that have met him, Mr. Jones is an engaging and fun person to be around.
He built the Cowboys Super Bowl team along with his friend Jimmy Johnson. As their relationship began to crumble it appeared publicly that Jerry felt he was the main driver of those Cowboy teams. History shows different.
It’s been decades since, and unfortunately Jerry is cementing his legacy as a world-class blowhard. The only thing the Cowboys team has in common with the Landry Cowboys is their uni’s. This got old 20 years ago. Hard to believe it’s still going on.
Well said
Hmm is owner Jerry seems to have a real issue with how GM Jerry structured the team and coaching staff. Maybe possibly if owner Jerry would hire a better GM then this wouldn’t be an issue.
“I’ve done it all. So I have an ordinate amount of confidence that f***, if anybody can figure out how to get this s*** done, I can figure out how to get it done,” Jones said. “So hell no, there’s nobody that could f***ing come in here and do all the contracts… and be a GM any better than I can.” – Jerry Jones
As much hate as Jerry gets you can’t fault him for his bluntness on this one. Saying DH wouldn’t be having the year his in Dallas is the most spot on thing I’ve heard him say in awhile. Henry wouldn’t have fixed their offense.
It depends on how you want to define “fix” the offense, really. For the record, I don’t believe Henry has as good a year in Dallas either. Baltimore is better coached, better ran and leans on the run. But, Henry unquestionably would have made the Dallas offense better. He’d have given it another dimension. This is Jerry trying to buy himself a pass by blaming everyone but himself.
Ah, setting the foundations, I see…
Shoulda fired McCarthy promoted DQ and brought back Kellen Moore.
Drafted an rb in the top 3 rounds – braelon allen? Season looks a lot different imo
They’ve also built a bad roster in terms of depth, but I understand why he left that part out of his comments.
The Cowboys just got it handed to them by Detroit. The Boys will now play 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, Texans, and Commanders.
Jerry Jones is always saying something brash to set the stage for the next month, all year long. Jerry Jones fully understands that even bad publicity is good publicity.
Jerry Jones is the best Owner/GM in the NFL
Says Jerry Jones’ burner account
Hey you put the team together Jerry!!!
They not only could have had Henry, they could have re-signed Pollard, who has a burst with the Titans but cant run enough because they get behind too much in games. If the QBs and receivers were playing better, Pollard would easily be in the top eight of runners.
Once again Jerry forgot that the white pill is the happy pill and the dark pill is the cranky pill. The Cowboys owner is usually so medicated that he wouldn’t know the difference between a “concept” and a “contraceptive”.
IMO, look at the defense and how many points given up in the losses this season. Rex Ryan could have helped so much more. There is nothing wrong with Dallas trading away some players like Lawrence, Martin, and Elliot. Give these veterans a chance to play for a championship. I would even trade Parsons if a team desperate right now. The Lions offers a few picks, including a number one. Dallas no longer goes after high-profile free agents and builds from the draft now. Stock pile this team with picks and reload.
The problem is the Cowboys rank as the most valuable franchise in the NFL every year regardless of how good or bad the on field product is. There really isn’t much incentive to change things under those conditions. The same is true for the Maple Leafs in the NHL. Haven’t won a championship since 1967 but they still make a pile of money even when the on ice product is bad.