Jerry Jones has been the face of the Dallas Cowboys since 1989. He got early success. But the franchise didn’t perform the same way for over 3 decades. Fans in Cowboys Nation have debated one thing for years: has Jones helped or hurt this team? And that’s exactly why many are wondering, will Jerry ever step aside or share ownership?

However, it’s more likely that his children will take over the reins when the time comes. Sure, their approaches might differ, but the name on the owner’s door will still read “Jones.” And Jerry himself made that very clear recently. While speaking to Businessweek, Jerry didn’t mince words. Jerry Jones explained to Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly why he has no interest in bringing business partners into the Dallas Cowboys organization.

“I think the best way to make my point is that I alluded to it earlier. I didn’t make an investment, I invested in a job, and that’s why, from the very get-go, I said I was going to be involved in every way. My children, buying in through me back in those years, were not a part of an investment. We bought the team, but what we got were jobs, and we got a career. And guess what? We got a life.”

For Jones, owning the Cowboys was never about money; it was personal.

“The most rewarding thing, of course, has been really working with them and having them involved as well. So under those circumstances, because they’ve spent a lifetime working with the Cowboys, I don’t see that changing.”

Jones also addressed the topic of succession, saying there’s no formal plan in place because his children are already deeply involved in running the Cowboys. “And of course, there’s no succession planning here,” Jones said. “Because they’ve been doing it anyway.”

His comment underscored that the next generation of Jones family leadership isn’t a future concern, it’s already a reality inside the Cowboys organization.

When asked by Jason Kelly whether people often try to invest in the Cowboys and if he simply turns them down, Jerry Jones shared a remarkable story.

Jones recalled that just one day after purchasing the team, he received a call from the previous owner, Bum Bright, saying a group of highly qualified investors wanted to buy Jones out immediately — offering him an extra $10 million to walk away. Jones turned them down on the spot.

“Tell them thanks for their offer,” Jones said he told Bright. “But no — I’m on this thing now, and we’re going with it.” He added that the time, commitment, and involvement he’s put into the Cowboys make the idea of taking on partners unappealing even decades later.

So, while for Jerry, the Cowboys mean Jones, not everyone in Cowboys Nation feels the same. Some fans want fresh eyes and a new direction, and you can’t really blame them. It’s been a long time since the Cowboys have truly dominated the postseason.

Under Jerry’s ownership, they’ve gone 319-262. Sure, the ‘90s were legendary, three Super Bowls, six division titles, and seven playoff appearances. But since then, it’s been a different story. Yet, not everyone is against him. Cowboys legend Troy Aikman still backs Jerry’s ideology.

Troy Aikman backs Jerry Jones

The Hall of Famer joined The Rich Eisen Show last month and shared his honest take on Jerry Jones and the direction of the Cowboys. “I saw Jerry talk about the fact that having the Cowboys as a discussion point is meaningful to him. And if people aren’t talking about the Cowboys, then he’ll do things to stir it up. So he kind of walked into that and has given the impression that supersedes winning,” Aikman said.

Of course, stirring things up is what Jerry does best. Whether he admits it or not. The Cowboys are never short of drama under him. The recent Micah Parsons trade is just another example of that. But Aikman doesn’t buy into the idea that Jones cares more about headlines than winning. For him, that narrative just doesn’t hold up.

“Do I think that winning is not important to Jerry Jones? Not at all. I think Jerry wants to win more than anything else, and I think he’s very exhausted of the fact that this team, although they’ve won a lot of regular season games, they’ve only won four playoff games. That’s hard to stomach.”

Right now, the Cowboys sit at 3-3-1, and next week they’ll take on the 5-2 Denver Broncos. So, Week 8 won’t be easy, and tension around The Star could grow if things go south. So will they bounce back, or will frustration keep piling up in Cowboys Nation? Share your thoughts.