Stephen Jones, co-owner and Executive Vice President of the Dallas Cowboys, addressed questions on draft picks, trades, and the 2026 NFL season, making comments that drew criticism from fans.

When asked whether George Pickens would join the voluntary offseason program, due to his franchise tag, Stephen Jones responded in a non-committal manner.

"We've had a lot of players here in Dallas, who has played under a tag." He added, "We certainly understand it and respect it, but we also know it's part of the salary cap and part of putting the team together."

And his follow-up response to the rising question regarding Pickens' trade was rather deflective, drawing flak from the fans.

"We're just not gonna comment as we move forward on negotiations on where that stands or anything like that," Jones said.

Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, "The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Forbes estimates their value at $13 billion. Does Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones ever wonder if they’d be better off if they were in a league without a salary cap?"

While Jon's commentary is not completely wrong, it immediately raised questions among the fans regarding the Dallas Cowboys' ability to meet the demands of the cap value of the players, despite being the biggest franchise in the world.  

The fans were clearly not impressed by Jones' comments at all.

Fans Troll Stephan Jones On His Ability To Manage Salary Cap

Fans were quick to respond to his comment, pointing out the Dallas Cowboys’ struggles to navigate the salary cap and keep pace in an increasingly competitive landscape.

One fan wrote, “Dude is terrible at managing a cap", while another questioned the team’s priorities, saying, “I wish the Joneses cared as much about winning Super Bowls as they do being top of the Forbes list”.

Many others reacted with sarcasm, offering a humorous take on his salary cap comment: “Let me translate - No, if we did away with the cap, Jerry and I couldn't hide behind the fact we don't spend cash.”

The fans are criticizing the team's salary cap choices and strategic decisions, as their on-field success lags despite the franchise topping the Forbes list.

Dallas hasn't won a Super Bowl for decades. That's why one fan joked, "What does he know about competitiveness."

What do you think about Stephen Jones' comments on George Pickens? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Kalp Thaker