Jerry Jones has owned the Dallas Cowboys since 1989, but the franchise could have started his ownership journey with a partner. A conversation with a close friend ultimately pushed Jones to take the Cowboys on by himself.

Before buying the Cowboys, Jones asked Tyson Foods founder Don Tyson if he wanted to join him in the purchase. Tyson declined because he was preparing to buy Holly Farms and wasn't as interested in sports as Jones. He then asked Jones whether he could make the purchase alone, giving him advice that stuck with the Cowboys owner.

"He said, if you can do this without a partner, okay, you should do it. Because partners are expensive,” Jones said in an episode of The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. 

Jones has spent the next several decades building the Cowboys with his family by his side. 

"I did not make an investment. I invested in a job, and that's why from the very get go, I said I was going to be involved in every way," Jones said in an episode of The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly on October 21, 2025. 

That approach has remained central to how Jones runs the franchise. His children have become deeply involved in the Cowboys' operations, allowing the organization to remain a family business. 

The decision also came with plenty of financial risk. Jones bought the Cowboys from Harvey Robert Bright for $140 million on Feb. 25, 1989, when the franchise was coming off a 3-13 season.

His investment has since grown enormously. Forbes valued the Cowboys at $13 billion in 2026, making them the NFL's most valuable franchise.

Jerry Jones remains open to the right Cowboys partner

Jones' stance on outside investors has become relevant again as NFL owners have opened the door to private equity investments. The Cowboys owner has made clear that he isn't looking to sell the franchise outright, but a minority investment is a different conversation.

According to a report by Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News on August 2, Jones could be open to selling a minority stake, with former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban emerging as someone Jones would consider.

"That’s exactly why if you’re me, you would be open to that, because of the man. I have all the respect in the world for him, and I know what he did for the Mavericks and what he’s done for basketball," Jones said.

For Jones, that respect goes beyond what Mark Cuban has already accomplished, extending to the kind of person and basketball mind he believes Cuban is.

"In addition to the financial boatstreams of your team, you want to associate with the highest quality of [a person] who loves the game and then also, at the same time, wants to do something about it. Mark leads the way in that."

He has spent 37 years building the franchise around his family, and the original decision to go without a partner helped define that path.

For now, though, the focus shifts back to football. Dallas will head to MetLife Stadium to face the division-rival New York Giants on September 13.

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Rudra Dubey