NFL analyst accuses Jerry Jones of “gaslighting” Cowboys fans for three decades
Jerry Jones likely would agree that his team's number one goal is to win the Super Bowl. However, speaking on "Pro Football Talk" on Wednesday, NFL analyst Mike Florio contended that any such proclamation would actually be the extension of a lie he has perpetrated for 30 years.
Florio argued that it was more important for Jones' Cowboys to remain just relevant enough to get fans to show up at the stadium.
[00:01:13] "I think Jerry Jones is trying to gaslight us," Florio said. ... "I really don't think he cares about winning the Super Bowl as much as he cares about keeping the Cowboys prominent and keeping everyone's wallets open and keeping the Cowboys in a spot where they draw 25 million fans.
"This Super Bowl thing is just a way to keep the wheels moving in the direction they've moved for the last 30 years." [00:01:42]
Jerry Jones benefits from Super Bowl drought
With his statement, Florio alluded to the position that Super Bowl winners are one of the most reliable ways to damage a team's long-term prospects. When a team reaches a Super Bowl, their coaches often leave for higher-paying or higher-ranked positions. The star players on the team also often begin asking for extensions.
Those two factors have sunk teams yearly for decades, and having already won several Super Bowls, Jones doesn't feel the same painful sense of urgency. In fact, according to Florio, Jones places his team's profits over giving his fans a season they truly will never forget.
However, if he can convince fans of his team that a Super Bowl could be just around the corner, it becomes much easier to sell tickets for those on the fence about paying hundreds of dollars to watch Dak Prescott play.
If the Cowboys don't reach the Super Bowl by the end of the 2025 season, it will mark three consecutive decades without a Super Bowl appearance. Their last Super Bowl appearance came in 1996 under the tutelage of Barry Switzer, quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith.
The Dallas Cowboys won the Big Game but haven't gotten within two weeks of the contest since. Since winning it all in the mid-1990s, the team hasn't managed to reach even the NFC Championship round of the playoffs.
Could Jerry Jones prove Mike Florio wrong in 2024 or 2025?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk" and H/T Sportskeeda.