Oxnard, CA – July 22, 2025
Despite nearly three decades of playoff heartbreak, 82-year-old Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn’t going anywhere. The legendary — and often controversial — team boss made headlines again Monday when he boldly declared he has no intention of stepping down as general manager, even with the team stuck in an NFC Championship drought since 1995.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about stepping aside… for about half a second,” Jones quipped during a marathon press conference to kick off training camp in Oxnard.
But what really lit up the media circus was the brewing drama surrounding defensive superstar Micah Parsons, who remains unsigned heading into the final year of his rookie deal — and may not even take the field at practice this week.
“We’ve got work to do,” said Cowboys VP Stephen Jones, when asked about negotiations that could make Parsons the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
Parsons, 26, is in camp but his participation remains uncertain. He’s fresh off a season with 12 sacks — a career low — partially blamed on an ankle injury that sidelined him for four games. Despite his recent dip in stats, Parsons remains a cornerstone of Dallas’ defense and his unresolved contract looms large over a team desperate to reclaim relevance.
Jerry Jones didn’t seem too rattled. “If missing the first two games means we win the Super Bowl, we’ll take it,” he said, referencing Emmitt Smith’s infamous 1993 holdout.
This marks the second consecutive offseason that a Cowboys star has caused contract chaos. Last year, CeeDee Lamb held out before securing a $136 million deal. In 2023, it was Dak Prescott demanding top dollar. All that money hasn’t translated into wins, as Dallas limped to a 7-10 finish last season, ending Mike McCarthy’s five-year tenure.
And yet, Jerry insists he’s still the man to call the shots — even taking jabs at himself and the upcoming Netflix documentary featuring his behind-the-scenes journey. “I haven’t worked in 35 years,” he said. “I’ve had the damnedest run and the most fun that you could ever imagine.”
In a scene straight out of “Succession,” Jones also joked about his appearance in the hit series Landman, alongside Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Hamm, where a crude joke of his ended up on the cutting room floor. “They cut the best part,” he lamented.
For Cowboys fans, though, the real drama isn’t in Hollywood — it’s right here in Oxnard. With a star defender unsigned, an aging GM still in charge, and the Super Bowl window narrowing, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Whether this Cowboys season ends in glory or flames, one thing is certain: the Jerry Jones Show rolls on.