On social media, fans had a field day after Monday Night Football. But it wasn’t the kind of moment Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would have wanted. In the pantheon of NFL owners’ suites, JJ’s box is sacred ground. But on Monday night, its hallowed silence was broken not by a Cowboys touchdown, but by the conspicuous exit of its most famous guest. Stephen A. Smith. Now, the analyst is setting the record straight about what went down during that game and why he walked out.

“Jerry wanted to see me. He wanted me to come sit next to him, so I did that. That was the first time I had ever been to Cowboy Stadium, for a Cowboys game,” Stephen shared on ESPN’s First Take. 

“He [Jerry] was talking about the team a little bit and what the expectations were, how important the game was…Then I saw the field go, and then after that, I saw Marvin Harrison Jr. put that move…he got a touchdown. I just looked, and then I was like, I kind of don’t need to be here,” Stephen explained.

It must have been special for Stephen. The first Cowboys game in their home stadium, and that too beside Jones himself. But things quickly shifted when Jake Ferguson fumbled near the red zone during the 2nd quarter, giving Arizona the ball. That’s when Stephen knew it was time to leave.

During the game, with Arizona’s lead climbing and Dallas trailing 10-0, the Cowboys’ offense hit a rocky patch. Marvin Harrison Jr. pulled off a sharp move by converting a 4-yard pass into a touchdown. That’s when the camera focused on Stephen sitting silently. Watching the play unfold, the analyst realized it was enough; it was time for him to go.

While Smith may have left midway because of an angry Jones, former Cowboys star Dez Bryant simply didn’t care enough about the game and was seen getting a haircut in his suite at the AT&T Stadium.

“We’re getting it cut on live, y’all,” he said on the live stream.

The Cowboys struggled beyond words that night. The star quarterback, Dak Prescott, was under immense pressure. He was sacked five times, hit nine times, pressured on 48% of his dropbacks, and threw one interception. But obviously, the real killer was the turnovers.

The Cowboys had three fumbles and two turnovers against the Cards. Two of those fumbles happened deep in Cardinals territory, killing promising drives where Dallas had a real chance to score. 

The Bird Gang turned those costly mistakes into touchdowns, and it became nearly impossible for America’s Team to stage a comeback at AT&T Stadium. That’s why Stephen felt it wasn’t his “place” to be in when the owner is frustrated with the mistakes. But Jerry’s wife, Eugenia Jones, wanted Stephen to stay. 

Why did Jerry Jones’ wife ask Stephen to stay?

During the broadcast, Stephen also revealed a funny but telling detail. As he was leaving, he said goodbye to Jerry Jones’ wife downstairs.

“I was down back in the before when they blocked the punt and got that in for the touchdown. When that happened, I was with his wife. She said, ‘Now you got to stay because you’re my good luck charm.’ I was like, I wouldn’t say that because I wasn’t anticipating that it was going to win…I ultimately got out of there.” Stephen added. 

The blocked punt Smith referred to was by the Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland, which was then recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

As serious as Jerry was about the game, the mistakes weren’t helping. However, Stephen, who has been outspoken in his criticisms of Jerry and the Cowboys, also said he would never “accuse” Jerry Jones of “not caring.”

According to him, his exit wasn’t disrespectful or what fans might have thought. It was a recognition that the game’s gravity was sinking in, and sometimes, walking away is the best move. Now, the Cowboys have a bye week before meeting the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11.