Jerry Jones announced that DeMarcus Ware would be the next Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor inductee. Jimmy Johnson has been waiting for a long time to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.
According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Cowboys’ owner gave an odd reason as to why he selected Ware over Johnson.
“I think that it’s very important to realize this is DeMarcus’ time. This is his year,” Jones said. “He’s a player. Jimmy’s not. OK? And so I wanted to put him in because it’s him and I wanted to put a player in.”
So what about Jimmy Johnson and the Ring of Honor? “I think that it’s very important to realize this is DeMarcus’ time, this is his year,” Jerry Jones said. “He’s a player. Jimmy’s not. Ok? And so I wanted to put him in because it’s him and I wanted to put a player in.”
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 24, 2023
This raises some other questions. Why did Jones induct a football player and not a coach this year? Why did Jones say recently that he was considering other coaches beyond Johnson?
Jones presented it as a zero sum proposition in order to make the critics appear unreasonable for not supporting Ware. He can, however, induct two different people at different dates so that each person gets the attention they deserve.
Why did he think it was more important to honor Ware, who is 41 years old this year and make Johnson, 80 years old wait longer?
Jones announced that Johnson will be included in the Ring of Honor of his team on Aug. 5, 2021 without specifying a date. Jones has shifted the issue and refused to confirm the date he will recognize the two time Super Bowl champion.
Jones accused Johnson last year of “sniveling” over his exclusion.
Jones doesn’t appear to be interested in granting Johnson the long-overdue Ring of Honor entry.