Jerry Jones might not have the Dallas Cowboys primed to win a Super Bowl, but he has them primed to do something better, create headlines.
Monday afternoon, after just three games, Stephen A. Smith claimed the Dallas Cowboys’ “season is over.” But even when the Cowboys’ season is over, Cowboys season is never over. Because Jerry Jones knows how to keep the Cowboys relevant even when they’re not a contender. And according to Ryan Clark, that’s exactly what Jones prioritizes.
Clark was on SportsCenter after Monday Night Football, where Michael Eaves asked about the mindset of Cowboys players as they see their defense in shambles, CeeDee Lamb out with an ankle sprain and Micah Parsons on the Green Bay Packers.
“Jerry Jones isn’t running this team to win a Super Bowl. He’s running this team to have it be talked about. Running this team to have it in the tabloids. Running this team to have it be a reality show and a soap opera, not to be an actual contender.” – Ryan Clark pic.twitter.com/tNpc4XoNwE
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 23, 2025
“We weren’t trying to win no way,” Clark exclaimed. “CeeDee Lamb being injured, our defense not being able to stop a nosebleed, none of those things change how I felt when I saw the way Jerry Jones was moving in training camp.
“Jerry Jones isn’t running this team to win a Super Bowl. He’s running this team to have it be talked about. Running this team to have it in the tabloids. Running this team to have it be a reality show and a soap opera, not to be an actual contender.”
And as much as that might sound like a criticism of Jones, he wouldn’t really disagree with anything Ryan Clark said, which is the Cowboys biggest problem and its greatest strength.
Sure, Jones is rooting for the Cowboys to win a Super Bowl. But they’re going to make money and remain relevant even without investing in the on-field product. The incentive and drive to win isn’t quite there for the Cowboys as much as it is for other teams.
Jerry Jones has been honest about his own mortality and wanting to see the Cowboys win another Super Bowl. But he’s also been honest about it being meaningful to keep the Cowboys relevant. Jones knows the Cowboys don’t need to win a Super Bowl or even be a Super Bowl contender keep them part of the national sports conversation, which to his credit, is something no other NFL team can say.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com