Jerry Jones has owned the Dallas Cowboys for 37 years now, making him the longest-tenured owner in franchise history.
Clint Murchison, who founded the franchise back in 1960, owned the club for its first 24 seasons before his failing health forced him to sell the team.
Bum Bright’s brief owner bridged the gap between Murchison and Jones. Bright’s tenure as owner was ill-fated from the beginning as he simply didn’t have the head for it.
He had also bought a team based on its legacy, but was aging and on the downside of its glory days.
Needless to say, Bright ranks third among the Cowboys’ history of owners.
So, who ranks as the better owner between Murchison and Jones? How do we even begin to determine the answer?
The Case For Murchison
Murchison literally built the franchise from scratch back in 1960. He literally had to resort to blackmail to get the unanimous approval of the NFL owners in one case.
He didn’t even get the official approval from the NFL until after the 1960 draft had been conducted.
What he did do was hire three very talented men to help him build an iconic team, even though it took a few years to manifest itself.
That patience, especially in the first five years, paid off. With Tom Landry as Head Coach, Tex Schramm as General Manager, and Gil Brandt’s innovative scouting, Murchison built a winner.
He also oversaw the building of the NFL’s most iconic stadium. Lambeau Field may be more storied, but Texas Stadium was recognized instantly around the world.
Murchison’s biggest accomplishment was understanding his role as owner.
Sign the checks, stay out of the way, and enjoy the championships.
The Case For Jones
After Bright’s lackluster management, the Cowboys needed a full overhaul. Bringing the organization back from the dumpster will always be Jones’ top accomplishment.
He did that by initially following the path laid down by Murchison and mimicked in the NBA by Los Angeles Lakers’ owner, Jerry Buss.
Sign the checks, get out of the way, and get handed the shiny trophy at the end of the season.
Where Jones fails most is letting his ego start writing checks that his abilities couldn’t cash. By running off Jimmy Johnson after back-to-back titles, Jones sabotaged his own organization.
Still, he has made the Cowboys one of the most valuable in sports and other teams are copying the palatial settings of AT&T Stadium when building their own stadiums.
The Final Verdict
Jones has overseen three Super Bowl wins in three appearances and a three-out-of-four run in NFC Championship games.
But all of those happened almost 30 years ago. The fact is, it was because of the team Johnson had built, not Jones.
His 29-season run of futility confirms who deserves the credit for the 1990s dynasty.
Murchison oversaw a franchise that won two Super Bowls in five appearances. The three losses were by a combined total of just 11 points.
The Cowboys played in 10 of the first 14 NFC Championship games after the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, winning five of them.
Dallas made the playoffs 18 out of 20 years between 1966-1985, finishing with a winning record in all 20 of those seasons.
Murchison built a powerhouse franchise that lasted for decades. Jones had a nice five-year run, but has not had any postseason success of note since 1995.
Murchison is clearly the best of the three Cowboys owners of all time.
