Netflix recently premiered America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, pulling back the curtain on Jerry Jones‘ bold and visionary leadership during the ’90s. Through candid stories from legends like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Jimmy Johnson, the series shows how a hopeful team became a roaring dynasty that echoed through NFL history. As fans watched, one thought kept rising like a steady drumbeat: Jerry’s smartest move was hiring Jimmy Johnson. And the logic tracks.

Jimmy didn’t just call the plays. He sculpted greatness. Drafting future Hall of Famers, making trades that reshaped the game, and building a team whose heartbeat still echoes in the league’s legacy. Leadership that turned dreams into trophies and passion into a dynasty. A 44-36 win-loss record and a couple of Lombardis to hoist. Yet, even with the applause, some voices question how much glory belongs to Jimmy alone. Recently, Zach Wolchuk of 103.5 The Fan took to his X handle and shared his thoughts on the Cowboys‘ documentary.

“The biggest takeaway from the Cowboys Netflix premiere is hammering home that the best thing Jerry ever did as owner of the Dallas Cowboys was hiring @JimmyJohnson,” he wrote. “Without Jimmy there is no dynasty & Jerry might not have any Super Bowls & no gold jacket.” But the plot thickened from here when one eagle-eyed fan chimed in with his own thoughts, as he shared some pointers. “Zach, Jimmy wouldn’t have been anything without:

1) Jerry giving him the job in the first place and
2) Jerry giving him unlimited funds to do at he pleased
What did Jimmy ever do without Jerry in the NFL??? Not very much.”

And you can bet that it caught Jimmy’s attention. The Cowboys legend’s response? It’s cryptic, logical, and with a shot at the Dolphins, the same team he once head-coached. “Playoffs 3 straight years..won 2 playoff games…Miami hasn’t won a playoff game in 24 years…” Jimmy wrote. Let’s call it what it is. The secret to the Cowboys’ early ’90s success sparks debate.

Some credit Jimmy Johnson for guiding the team to championship heights, while others point to Jerry Jones’ bold gamble in bringing Jimmy to Dallas as the true catalyst, replacing Tom Landry. But deep down, it’s a two-way thing. On one hand, Jerry gave Jimmy the HC job, and he gave him the funds to upgrade the roster, sure.

But on the other hand, Jimmy utilized his innovative coaching and strong leadership to lead the Cowboys to glory. After all, he had a 52-9 track record in Miami even before he arrived in Dallas. And post his head coaching gig as the Cowboys’ HC? He led the Dolphins to three straight playoffs and won a couple of playoff games. Jerry Jones wasn’t in Miami at that time.

To back that up, the Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game in the last 24 years. And Jimmy Johnson left the Dolphins’ head coaching job after the 1999 season. So, when he took a shot at the Miami team… well, he wasn’t talking the talk. The Dolphins are indeed struggling. Ever since Jimmy left Miami back in ’99, things just haven’t clicked the same way.

Losing him and Dan Marino started a revolving door for the head coaches and the quarterbacks. But the postseason success? Cricket. Coaches like Dave Wannstedt tried, but his conservative style didn’t really fit the fast-evolving NFL. Then Nick Saban’s leaving in 2007 led to a brutal 1-15 season under Cam Cameron. Fast forward a few years, and Mike McDaniel recorded a couple of winning seasons. But then again, he also failed to taste the postseason glory.

Quarterbacks? Not so efficient after Marino hung up his cleats. The Dolphins’ inability to secure a franchise quarterback post-Marino compounded their challenges. Selecting Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5 in the 2020 NFL draft when Justin Herbert was still available raised some eyebrows. Tua indeed led the team to back-to-back playoff appearances, but it’s his injury bug that just won’t stop biting.

Long story short: after Jimmy was done with the head coaching gig in Miami, the Dolphins have been stuck in the coaching carousel and management headaches.

Not the kind of start Tua Tagovailoa hoped for in the preseason

When Tua Tagovailoa starts, the Dolphins have a 40-24 record. But when he’s MIA? Suddenly, it drops to 7-13. Not so efficient. Which makes you wonder, what if something unexpected happens in the regular season? After all, the quarterback has a history of three concussions in three years, and the questions have already started swirling around his rhythm. That said, some say giving Tua more preseason snaps would help him hit his stride in the regular season. But honestly? That might just be a myth.

Under Mike McDaniel’s coaching, those snaps have declined. It was just 15 in 2022, 13 in 2023, and just 5 in the last season. And now that the Dolphins have kicked off their 2025 preseason campaign, let’s just say, it’s not all glitter and touchdown for the quarterback. During the preseason opener, Tua started well. We’re talking about five of six pass completions for 27 yards with an 85.4 passer rating. Hold that thought.

Because from there, everything went south. A safety picked off his pass to Chris Myarick, then another jumped in front of a throw to Tarik Black. Tremaine Edmunds snagged one more in the red zone. The Bears‘ defense wasn’t giving him any breathing room. They sacked Tua twice right after a tackle for a loss.

By his third interception, you could feel the energy drain on Miami’s sideline. And just like that, Tua’s preseason opener was over. Zach Wilson stepped in, sure. But he couldn’t make an impact, raising questions for the head coach ahead of the regular season.