Jerry Jones rejects coaching pay criticism
The Cowboys owner defended his hiring record on 105.3 The Fan, stating that financial concerns have never prevented him from securing top talent.
By Robert Ward ·
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that spending money on a coach does not correlate with winning in the National Football League. Jones addressed the issue at length during a Friday appearance on the team's flagship network.
"Not one time in my life that I have ever, if I wanted to do it, let money stand in the way of doing it," Jones said. He emphasized that he has never faced a scenario where a coach declined a role solely because the compensation was insufficient.
The Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer as head coach in 2025. Prior to that selection, the team interviewed Leslie Frazier, Robert Saleh, and Kellen Moore. The organization did not conduct interviews with several high-profile candidates, including Ben Johnson, who was hired by the Chicago Bears. Saleh and Moore have since secured head coaching positions with the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints, respectively.
Jones suggested that he has privately pursued other successful coaches without public announcement. He referenced reports linking the Cowboys to Sean Payton during Payton's tenure as head coach of the Saints. Payton previously served as an assistant under Bill Parcells in Dallas.
"I have been out there, and I have been trying to lure very successful coaches away from the teams they were on and knew full well that I was going to pay them for their success," Jones said. He noted that he smiles when critics argue that he is unwilling to pay the necessary amount for the right coach.
Coaching salaries are not public record, but Schottenheimer is believed to earn a salary in the bottom half of the league. His predecessor, Mike McCarthy, earned $8 million per season. In 2015, Jason Garrett received a five-year contract extension worth $30 million.
Jones has faced scrutiny regarding his treatment of head coaches since his parting of ways with Jimmy Johnson following the 1992 and 1993 Super Bowl victories. Jones hired Barry Switzer to replace Johnson, and the team won the championship in 1995. The franchise has not won a Super Bowl since that year. Jones has overseen seven head coaches: Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips, Garrett, McCarthy, and Schottenheimer. He acknowledged the ambiguity in hiring but called the perception of stinginess ridiculous.
