Dallas Cowboys fans are disappointed after their poor start to the 2024 season, with owner Jerry Jones being pointed the finger.
Dallas opened the season with a win over the Cleveland Browns, but followed that up with back-to-back losses to the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. Now they have a crucial Thursday Night Football game against the New York Giants.
A poll by WFAA-TV in Dallas found that 70 percent of voters blame Jones for the rough start to the campaign as tensions run high.
Jones didn’t criticize fans for their feelings, telling the “Shan and RJ” show on 105.3 The Fan, “That’s very fair.”
It is common knowledge that ultimately no decision is made here on what I have approved. [to] or approved it. That’s very fair.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says it’s ‘very fair’ for fans to point fingers at him
Cowboys fans are having a hard time after last season ended in another playoff loss
‘How else can you think, whether it’s who’s coaching, who’s playing, whether it’s the stadium you walk into? Whatever it is here, that’s how it is.
“Let me just say this. Do I have a tremendous amount of input into making those decisions? If they’ve done their homework, they have a very influential input on me, and we have a lot of people at the Dallas Cowboys who have done their input.”
This season isn’t the only one Jones has faced criticism for. He faced the most criticism after taking over as owner and general manager in 1989.
However, fan frustration is heightened after the playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers in January, which extended Dallas’ Super Bowl drought to 28 seasons.
“I think I was baptized when I first came to Dallas and bought the Cowboys, and we won one football game,” Jones told The Fan.
‘We have made changes, replaced the only coach of 29 years [Tom Landry]and we got tremendous criticism, the kind that would make what you’re seeing look like child’s play. … You’re dealing with everything but a lot of emotion about our team.
“It never ceases to amaze me, both in Texas in the case of the Cowboys and across the country in the case of the Cowboys. Either they’re there because they want to see us get beat up, or they’re there because they’re chasing us.
‘What inspires me the most is the emotion around it, but I’m certainly aware of it, I’m aware of criticism, but not more aware than that score at the end of the game. Let’s put it that way.
Jones has been the target of criticism whenever the Cowboys lose since he bought them in 1989
So far this year, Dallas’ rushing offense and defense are among the worst in the NFL
“I know you can criticize a lot. I was born here with the Cowboys. You can criticize a lot, and you can troll those trophies. And that’s what this is all about.”
So far, Dallas has struggled primarily with the running game on both sides of the ball, ranking near the bottom in run defense and third in rushing offense.
Despite these obvious issues, Jones still believes the squad is talented enough to develop itself.
“I think while we’re undoubtedly disappointed and we really understand that we’ve got to do this better as a team, be more coordinated – and I’m not just saying within the defence, but within the defence, the attack, the whole area,” Jones said.
“I think we have a chance to improve this, and that’s the most important thing. We’re not operating at full capacity. If we were, that would be really worrying.”
Dallas’ most recent 1-3 start came in 2020 — the first season with Mike McCarthy at the helm. They ultimately finished that campaign 6-10.
With the game against the Giants at the Meadowlands approaching, Jones was reluctant to label it a “must win” for their season expectations.
“They’re in our division; that says a lot, and we need a good game,” Jones said, adding: “What’s a must-win? We’ve got 17 games.
The Cowboys haven’t started 1-3 since Mike McCarthy’s first season in 2020
“Some sports have 150-plus games. The bottom line is that those who play 150 games have two or three games left that you can look back on and say, ‘They should win.’ And when I think about it, that’s the case for me.
“You could look back and say that was a game you turned around, that was a game you did. And I don’t want to sound arrogant when I say that, but, boy, every possession is an important possession for us and for every player.
“And that’s the trick, play possession, do the best you can. If you’re out there and you know everyone’s going to do the same, good things will happen.”