The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls takes place August 3-6, 2017 in Canton, Ohio. On Saturday, August 5, 2017, Owner, President and General Manager of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerral Wayne Jones will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jerry Jones is living proof that his love for the game has transcended him to greater heights, which he ultimately envisioned from the start of his ownership journey. He recently took questions from the media to discuss this historic induction ceremony and how his family, morals, and business decisions guided him along the path to success. Enjoy reading some short snippets from the media conference call I was involved in below.
Humble Yet Successful Beginnings
When Jerry Jones first took over the Dallas Cowboys franchise his goal and vision was to make the organization one of the greatest in the league. And while doing so, he became the first owner in NFL history to lead his team to three Super Bowls during his first seven years of ownership.
Despite all of his vast success, Mr. Jones will tell you in a heartbeat that the road wasn’t easy. In fact, when he purchased the franchise in 1989 he states, “It wasn’t a pretty investment. It wasn’t one that you or anyone would admire at the time. The was not the point, the point was what it could be.”
A Loving and Sacred Foundation
There are two entities that correlate and make up the molecular business man people all around the world respect and admire. The game/lessons of football and parents, J.W. “Pat” & Arminta Jones, are the major forces Jerry Jones credits as his backbone and foundation.
A notable example he shared was during a high school all-star game in which he was beaten badly as a lineman. Therefore he decided to quit and give up on football. His original position was to play as a linebacker or runningback and he just couldn’t do it anymore. Humanly, Jerry Jones went home and found solace in the comfort of his bed however, words from “Pat” Jones spoke dear to him when his father exclaimed, “If you lay in this bed, you’ll be a quitter the rest of your life. I wish you would just get up, rethink your decision, and go on.”
This tough love resonated in his spirit and Jerry realized the importance of that heart-to-heart moment, “The game is not necessarily how it’s dealt to you, it’s about how you respond to it.” Ever since then Jerry knew his love for the game would keep him heavily involved for the right reasons.
Proud Moments and Regrets
When asked if he could share a proud moment in his personnel decisions, one unsurprising name uttered from his lips, “When we played Deion out in San Francisco during the championship game; Deion had an impact on our third championship that I was involved in and when he became a free agent that impacted our ability to win.” Jerry Jones didn’t pass up an opportunity to deal Deion Sanders away from the San Francisco 49ers in 1995. Especially since Deion played a critical role in helping the 49ers beat the Cowboys during the NFC championship that same year. The legendary Dallas Cowboys player brought joy to Jerry Jones and he is grateful to have worked with a dynamic player.
As for a decision he would’ve regretted Jerry states, “I didn’t have the foolishness of not grabbing Troy Aikman as the first pick in the draft.” Jerry Jones thoroughly understood the value of players while beginning his reign in the NFL.
Overall Jerry Jones will continue to allow the love of his wife Eugenia “Gene,” children Stephen, Charlotte, and Jerry Jr. and grandchildren to carry on the legacy that will inspires us further in the future. We salute Jerry Jones and thank him for opening our eyes to the business of ownership, while incorporating sports marketing and promotion in a way that makes the NFL unique and memorable around the world.
ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ENSHRINEMENT WEEK:
The 2017 Hall of Fame Class includes KENNY EASLEY, MORTEN ANDERSEN, TERRELL DAVIS, JERRY JONES, JASON TAYLOR, LaDAINIAN TOMLINSON and KURT WARNER.
The annual Hall of Fame Game featuring the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys kicks off the festivities on Thursday, August 3 at 8:00 PM ET. The next night, on Friday, August 4, the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner is where more than 120 Hall of Famers form a gauntlet for the new class to make their way to the stage to put on their Hall of Fame Gold Jacket for the first time.
The Enshrinement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 5 at 7:00 PM ET. The “Concert for Legends” featuring Toby Keith & Kid Rock takes place on Sunday, August 6.
Header Image Photo by: Phil Ellsworth / ESPN
