Jerry Jones Makes Pro Football Hall Of Fame 2017 Class
Former Razorback and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will join the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the 2017 Class.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has come a long way from his days on the hill playing for Arkansas. Since his days in cardinal, Jones has gone on to buy an NFL franchise and help take them to three Super Bowl wins.
Jerry Jones started his lifelong love of football in North Little Rock, Arkansas and NLR High School. During his high school days in Arkansas, Jones played the position of running back. His prowess on the field got the attention of then Razorback head coach, Frank Broyles.
Broyles brought Jones to Fayetteville to play on his offensive line. Jones was on one of the most legendary college football teams of all-time at Arkansas.
Surrounded By Champions
Arkansas Razorbacks Football
Not only was his coach College Football Hall of Famer, Frank Broyles but his teammates on the roster include a who’s who of now football legends.
On the team was Jimmy Johnson, Ken Hatfield, Glen Ray Hines, Jim Lindsey and Loyd Phillips. Not only did he play with these greats but his coaches included, Hayden Fry, Johnny Majors, and Barry Switzer.
During his time at Arkansas, Jones was part of the only National Championship team in the history of the program. The 1964 team went 10-0 in the regular season then solidified their championship with a victory over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl.
I can’t think of another team in the history of the sport of football that would impact and forever change the entire game the way Jones and his team did. Between the players and coaches, the members of that team are heads of pedigree coaching trees and known for their championships in both college and pro football.
Getting Green From Black Gold To Royal Blue
After leaving Arkansas, Jerry had many failed business ventures until finally, his oil and gas exploration business took off. In 1989, he purchased the Dallas Cowboys for $140 million dollars.
One of his first acts of business was to fire then lifelong head coach Tom Landry and put in his Razorback teammate, Jimmy Johnson. Jones and Johnson built two Super Bowl teams, 1992 and 1993, before friction between the two pushed Johnson to move on from the team.
After Johnson departed, Jones again looked to his past as an Arkansas Razorback for his new coach Barry Switzer. The Cowboys would then go on to win another Super Bowl in 1995.
Jerry Jones may have made millions in the oil field but it’s on the football field where he made his real money. The $140 million investment he made to buy the Cowboys is now worth over $4 BILLION. It is not only the most valuable franchise in the NFL but in all of professional sports.
Jerry Jones built not only an empire out of America’s team but is one of, if not the most influential people in the NFL. According to this article by Rick Gosselin, when CBS and NBC had proposed financial rebates that would have cost the league $238 million, Jones got involved and brought in Fox which instead turned into a $790 million dollar TV contract. This was in 1992, while later in 1994, that contract was worth $4.39 billion and after three contracts is worth $44.5 billion today.
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Some love him and some hate him but one thing is undeniable, Jerry Jones has built an empire. An empire that started in North Little Rock, then to the University of Arkansas and now as the most powerful NFL owner in league history. Finally, Jerry Jones will join the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Woo pig.