Thirty years. That’s how long the Cowboys Nation has waited for another Super Bowl. Three decades of “next year” promises, “all-in” declarations, and missed opportunities. And owner / general manager Jerry Jones knows it better than anyone.

“I know my way of addressing it, which would be just what I’m sitting here talking to you about to go do it, is the best way to correct it,” Jones said. “The thing that I would want our fans to know is how much input that I have into what goes on when they see a ball snapped or a play, and how much third-party input. And I have a reputation of not of, ‘we’ll get that guy, we’ll do that.’ It’s the opposite of that.”

At his annual NFL Combine press briefing Friday, America’s most polarizing franchise owner looked the media square in the eye and owned it. The admission came during an offseason where Jerry Jones has consistently promised that Dallas will be all in on the free agency plans for the upcoming 2026 season.

Jerry’s words carried the weight of a dynasty that ended way back in 1995. Jones built the Dallas Cowboys’ three Super Bowl titles in the early 90s alongside Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. But the franchise has been chasing that ghost ever since.

But something seems to have shifted in how the 83-year-old businessman is looking at the game this time around. Back in December, after Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention (again), Jones cracked the door open on accountability.

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“I’ll admit that the Cowboys management has played a big role [in the 30-year Super Bowl drought],” Jones admitted back then. “But seriously, I’m very disappointed that the way we’re structured, and my role, puts us here tonight. I’m tremendously disappointed.”

Now at the Combine, Jerry has pushed it even further. He’s acknowledged that the Super Bowl drought wasn’t for lack of trying, but effort without results remains a failure. Still, that distinction is cold comfort after 30 years of watching other teams battle it out for the Lombardi Trophy.

“I scraped the floor trying to get some information to make the best decision that we can,” Jerry admitted. “Hats off, it’s highly competitive. The other clubs have done better.”

“I got my, you-know-what kicked the other day when I said I wanted to win Super Bowls,” Jones continued. “I really can’t accept just the thought of winning one Super Bowl and then one.”

The 2025 season crystallized every concern. A historically bad Cowboys defense torpedoed a promising offense built around franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer built an offense that functioned. The defense, though? A complete disaster, and Jones knows it.

Still, Jones isn’t waving any white flags just yet. He still has the defiant tone of a man who genuinely believes his best work isn’t behind him.

“I’ve got more time on my clock than that in my mind,” Jones said at the Combine.

And that hunger is now driving exactly what the Cowboys Nation has been begging for years: real spending, no more excuses.

Jerry Jones is ready to “bust the budget”

Ever since the offseason began, Jerry Jones has dropped hints about how he’d like to make changes to how he handles the Cowboys. Now, Jones has pledged to go all out in free agency, and this time, he’s got specifics of what he wants to address.

“I could see us being aggressive in free agency,” Jones noted. “By the very virtue of having two number ones (first-round picks), we’re gonna spend more money in the draft than normally you would spend… I would bet that we will spend more money in free agency than we have.”

The Cowboys really have one thing sorted out this season. With running back Javonte Williams already re-signed, George Pickens franchise-tagged, and CeeDee Lamb locked in, the offense is set. Now the only thing they need to fix is the defense. For that, Jones has hinted that borrowed cap space isn’t off the table this year.

“The only way to push more is for me to go borrow some of my future. Expect me to go borrow some of my future,” Jones said. “I want to do everything we possibly can to stop somebody and to basically win some third downs more than we did last year. So I think that would be the area that you would see me bust the budget.”

Last season, Dallas’ secondary allowed its opponents to convert 47.26% of their third-down attempts (95-of-201). They also allowed a painful 511 points and 8.1 yards per passing attempt. Jerry’s got a vision for what he wants to see from his defense in 2026, but also admits they aren’t quite there yet.

“It’s a big challenge for us to be where we want to be defensively,” Jones said. “Now, I don’t want to imply that we’ve got anything set up or are blowing out the candles on the offense, we’ve got a lot of work to do over there. But this’ll be a real big challenge.”

Meanwhile, Jones also believes the players they already have will be gearing up to make bigger splashes this year. The reason? JJ will try to improve the atmosphere in the locker room.

“They’ll be better than they looked this year, I predict that, because they’ll be surrounded by a more positive situation out there,” Jones promised.

“We’ve really got to come out and be sound, and I think we’ve addressed every phase of it,” Jones shared about their defensive plans. “I think we’ve very capable of doing not only better, but playing defense at a level that would get us in the playoffs. I believe that, strongly.”

Skeptics will definitely point to 2024’s “all-in” promise that delivered on the most frugal free agency classes to Dallas. But this time, Jones has named the problem (the defense) and named the solution: spend big. Now, all of Cowboys Nation is watching to see if the owner finally puts his money where his mouth is.