An irked Jerry Jones speaks out about ‘sniveling’ Jimmy Johnson

It’s been well chronicled that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has his own way with words as well as his own point of view on things.

Jones also likes to do things his way and on his time.

So when pressed during Cowboys training camp this week about inducting former coach Jimmy Johnson into the team’s hallowed Ring of Honor as he promised when Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, Jones got a little chippy.

Jones did one-on-one interviews with all the local Dallas-Fort Worth television stations for their Sunday night shows. And all them asked about Johnson going into the Ring of Honor.

He gave the same answer to each: He does not have a timetable to do it and he has not yet made a decision.

Newy Scruggs of NBC5 accused Jones of being petty, causing Johnson to catch the blow back.

“It’s ‘BS’ for anybody to be making anything (of that),” Jones said. “I’ve said I’m going to put him in. Now, when I put him in, and the circumstances and what I do with that, there’s a lot more than Jimmy to think about here, and I’ve got a lot of other lives out here that have laid a lot on the line on the field that need to be in that Ring of Honor as well. And so how I do that, what I do it with, I get to make that decision, and it isn’t at the end of the day all tailored around whether Jimmy is sniveling or not.”

Jones and Johnson have made up since their contentious parting after the 1993 season. Johnson coached the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowls, laying the foundation of the dynasty run that would result in three Super Bowl titles in four seaons.

But something is still bubbling beneath the surface.

“I’ll be very sensitive and be very appreciative of what Jimmy is, but it’s too much to say, ‘Well, that is the thing that gets up and goes to bed at night when we think about the Ring of Honor’ as to Jerry and Jimmy’s relationship,” Jones said. “Jerry and Jimmy were two of the luckiest guys that’s ever been on this earth to get to be sitting here having this talked about if you want to know the truth about it.”

During the television interviews, Jones also shared his thoughts on the first week of training camp.

The Elliott-Pollard combo

While the talk for much of the offseason and the first week of camp is that the Cowboys are going to use Ezekiel Elliott and backup Tony Pollard in tandem in 2022, Jones made it clear that the two-team rushing champ will continue to carry the bulk of the load in the running back.

Jones told the NFL Network that Elliott “has to be the focus” of the team’s running back game.

“He has to be the focal point,” Jones said. “There is room for Pollard while Zeke is in there.”

Talking to reporters later, Jones added later that he wants to see Pollard used as a returner and receiver.

“We need to see him in creative situations,” Jones said of Pollard. “Get him the ball, get him touches in a variety of ways.”

Elliott and Pollard will be on the field together a lot in 2022, both in the backfield and with Pollard working as a slot receiver.

When it comes to running the ball, Jones wants Elliott to set the tone.

“He is physical,” Jones said of Elliott. “He usually has the momentum. That helps him stay healthy. He gives the hit. That is important. He is a critical part of the offense with his physicalness, establishing a physical presence early. That is something we got to do.”

Camp’s second week

The tenor of camp changes this week with the Cowboys donning pads for the first time. The first four days were done in t-shirts and shorts.

But Jones has liked what he’s seen so far.

He is excited about the team’s youth and its health. They have no major injuries.

The thing that has jumped out at him most is the team speed on defense to go along with All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons.

“I know what Parsons is as far as quickness and moving around,” Jones said. “I am seeing other quickness. He is quicker. But I am seeing other quickness out there.”The defense has been ahead of the offense so far in camp and it comes as no surprise to Jones.

After years of being a team counted on a high-powered offense behind quarterback Dak Prescott and Elliott to carry the defense, which had long been considered the weak link, Jones believes it may be the other way around in 2022.

“I’m lifted by our ambition which is to have a defense to maybe do more of a job that we are expecting from the offense,” Jones said.

Hooker impresses

Jones pointed out safety Malik Hooker, who is healthy and ready to thrive in 2022 one year removed from seeming his 2020 season cut short by a torn Achilles, as a player who might be the story of the team.

“He got a chance to be one of the more dominant players over there,”Jones said. “That is going to benefit us.”

Although there appears to be a number of questions on paper outside of No. 1 option CeeDee Lamb, Jones said has no concerns about the receiver corps,

“I feel good about our receivers. I haven’t been asked that question, but I feel personally, very good about our receivers,” Jones said. “I like [Jalen] Tolbert a lot. I like [James Washington] a lot ... a lot. And I like these young ones. Knowing where else we can go with the ball, I like our receivers. “

Jones said it’s only a matter of time before first-round pick Tyler Smith, who remains in a battle with Connor McGovern for the starting spot at left tackle, makes his mark.

Jones said Smith is picking things up fast because of his smarts and his instincts. He said doesn’t believe Smith will have the issues with holding in the NFL that he did in college at Tulsa because his technique and skills are so much better.

“He is picking it up,” Jones said. “He looks like a natural with it. And he is so strong.”