Cowboys Owner Shockingly Confesses: “This Is A Surprise To Me” After Two Straight Playoff Misses

It took two consecutive losing seasons, two straight years without playoffs, and a 7-8-1 record for Jerry Jones to finally say the words Cowboys Nation has been waiting to hear:

“This is a surprise to me.”

In a brutally honest interview on 105.3 The Fan, the 83-year-old Cowboys owner admitted what everyone already knew: The $240 million gamble on Dak Prescott hasn’t paid off. And now, he’s promising changes that will make Cowboys fans “prepare for rough landings.”

The Confession That Shocked Dallas

“This is a surprise to me. When I signed Dak (to his most recent contract extension), I didn’t expect for us not to be in the playoffs the last two years,” Jones admitted on 105.3 The Fan.

Read that again. Jerry Jones — the man who never admits mistakes, who always deflects blame, who justified paying Prescott $60 million per year — just confessed he didn’t see this disaster coming.

And then came the bombshell:

“So, we’ll make those kinds of adjustments that’ll give us the best shot at the playoffs. We can’t be timid about it. They’re not just subtle, little adjustments. We’ll have to do some things that as they say, put your head between your legs and prepare for some rough landings.”

“Prepare for rough landings.”

That’s not the language of minor roster tweaks. That’s the language of a teardown.

The $240 Million Disaster By The Numbers

Let’s review what Jerry Jones bought with that historic contract:

Dak Prescott’s 4-year, $240M extension (signed September 2024):

• $60 million per year — highest-paid player in NFL history at the time
• Fully guaranteed through 2025
• No-trade clause
• Made Prescott untouchable

What Dallas got in return:

• 2024: 7-10 record, missed playoffs
• 2025: 7-8-1 record, eliminated from playoffs in Week 16
• Zero playoff appearances in two years
• First time missing playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2013-2015

Jerry paid Prescott to be the franchise savior. Instead, he got the architect of back-to-back losing seasons.

When Did Jerry Know He Made A Mistake?

Here’s the timeline of Jerry Jones slowly realizing his $240 million investment was a disaster:

September 2024: Signs Dak to record-breaking extension, declares “Dak was indispensable”

December 2024: Cowboys finish 7-10, miss playoffs for first time since 2020

August 2025: Trades Micah Parsons to Packers, saying “Dak was indispensable in mind … and Micah wasn’t”

December 2025: Cowboys finish 7-8-1, miss playoffs again

January 2026: Jones finally admits on radio: “This is a surprise to me”

It took Jerry Jones TWO FULL YEARS and two consecutive losing seasons to admit what Cowboys fans knew after Year One: The Dak Prescott contract was a catastrophic mistake.

The Micah Parsons Decision Looks Even Worse Now

Remember when Jerry justified trading Micah Parsons by saying “Dak was indispensable … and Micah wasn’t”?

Well, how’s that working out?

Micah Parsons with Green Bay (before ACL injury):

• 12.5 sacks in 14 games
• 5th consecutive Pro Bowl selection
• $186 million extension
• Packers made playoffs

Dak Prescott with Dallas:

• Led offense that scored points but couldn’t win games
• Defense “slipped this year” after losing Parsons
• 7-8-1 record
• Eliminated from playoffs

Jerry chose Dak over Micah. And now he’s admitting he was wrong.

“Rough Landings” – What Does Jerry Mean?

When Jerry Jones says “prepare for rough landings,” he’s not talking about minor adjustments. He specifically said: “They’re not just subtle, little adjustments.”

So what’s coming?

Possible “rough landings” for Cowboys fans:

1. Trading or cutting expensive veterans

• Zack Martin (just retired)
• Anyone not named Dak (because he’s untradeable)

2. Defensive overhaul

• Jones admitted Cowboys “slipped this year” defensively after Parsons trade
• Entire defensive scheme needs rebuilding

3. Coaching staff changes

• Brian Schottenheimer is in his first year as head coach
• Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus under fire

4. Full rebuild around Dak

• Use draft picks to find cheap talent
• Accept 2-3 years of mediocrity

5. The nuclear option: Trade Dak

• Unlikely due to no-trade clause
• But Jerry’s language suggests EVERYTHING is on the table

The One Thing Jerry Won’t Admit: Dak Is The Problem

Here’s what’s fascinating about Jerry’s confession: He admitted Prescott lacked enough “protection” on the field and acknowledged defensive issues, but he still believes “the offense was built to score this year.”

Translation: Jerry STILL won’t blame Dak directly.

But Cowboys fans see through it. The offense DID score. The problem is Dak couldn’t close games, couldn’t win when it mattered, and couldn’t elevate a flawed roster the way elite QBs do.

Patrick Mahomes elevated the Chiefs to three Super Bowls.
Josh Allen elevated the Bills to perennial contenders.
Dak Prescott elevated the Cowboys to… 7-8-1.

The Contract That Can’t Be Fixed

Here’s the brutal reality: Even if Jerry wanted to move on from Dak, he CAN’T.

Dak’s contract details:

• $60M per year through 2027
• No-trade clause (Dak controls his destiny)
• Massive dead cap hit if released
• Cowboys are financially handcuffed

Jerry Jones locked himself into Dak Prescott for the next 2-3 years, and now he’s stuck watching his investment fail in real-time.

The only way out? Hope Dak voluntarily waives his no-trade clause. And why would he? He’s getting paid $60 million per year to go 7-9.

What Cowboys Fans Are Saying

The reaction to Jerry’s confession has been BRUTAL:

“Jerry finally admits it, but it’s too late. We’re stuck with Dak for years.”

“‘Prepare for rough landings’ = Jerry admitting he has no idea how to fix this.”

“He chose Dak over Micah. That decision will haunt this franchise for a decade.”

“Two straight losing seasons and he’s SURPRISED? Fire yourself, Jerry.”

“The $240M mistake. History will not be kind to this decision.”

The Comparison That Makes Cowboys Fans Sick

Want to know how badly Jerry screwed up? Let’s compare:

Dak Prescott: $60M/year

• 2024: 7-10, missed playoffs
• 2025: 7-8-1, missed playoffs
• Zero playoff wins in two years

Brock Purdy: $53M/year (signed 2025)

• 2024: 13-4, NFC Championship Game
• 2025: 12-4, clinched playoffs
• Multiple playoff wins

Josh Allen: $55M/year

• Perennial MVP candidate
• Bills always in playoff contention
• Franchise QB who delivers

Jerry paid Dak MORE than these guys and got LESS production. That’s organizational malpractice.

The Real Question: Can This Be Fixed?

Jerry acknowledged the team still has “bones of winners in place,” but is that true?

What’s left of the Cowboys core:

• Dak Prescott (expensive, underperforming)
• CeeDee Lamb (great, but can’t do it alone)
• Tyler Guyton (rookie OL, promising)
• Young defensive pieces (unproven)

What’s gone:

• Micah Parsons (traded to Packers)
• Zack Martin (retired)
• Trevon Diggs (released, claimed by Packers)
• DeMarcus Lawrence (left for Seahawks)

The “bones of winners” are mostly gone. What’s left is an expensive quarterback, one elite receiver, and a roster full of question marks.

Jerry’s Track Record On “Major Changes”

Let’s not forget: This isn’t the first time Jerry has promised sweeping changes.

After 2015 (4-12 season): “We’re going all-in.” Result: Mediocrity

After 2020 (6-10 season): “Major changes coming.” Result: Playoff losses

After 2024 (7-10 season): “We’ll make adjustments.” Result: 7-8-1

Jerry Jones’ version of “prepare for rough landings” usually means:

• Fire a coordinator
• Draft some rookies
• Overpay a free agent
• Hope for the best

Don’t expect a true rebuild. Jerry doesn’t have the patience or self-awareness for that.

The Bottom Line: Jerry Finally Admitted It, But It’s Too Late

After two years of defending the Dak Prescott contract, after trading Micah Parsons to keep Dak, after missing the playoffs twice in a row, Jerry Jones finally said the quiet part out loud:

“This is a surprise to me.”

But here’s the problem: It’s only a surprise to Jerry. Cowboys fans saw this coming from a mile away.

The $240 million gamble on Dak Prescott was always risky. But Jerry convinced himself — and tried to convince everyone else — that Dak was “indispensable.”

Two losing seasons later, Jerry is promising “rough landings” and admitting he didn’t see this failure coming.

The truth is simple: Jerry Jones bet the franchise on Dak Prescott, and he lost.

Now, he’s asking Cowboys fans to buckle up for a painful rebuild while still paying $60 million per year to the quarterback who got them into this mess.

Welcome to Cowboys purgatory, where Jerry Jones finally admits his mistakes — but only after it’s too late to fix them.

Do you think Jerry will actually make major changes, or is this just more empty promises? Drop your thoughts below. 👇

#Cowboys #DakPrescott #JerryJones #CowboysNation #NFL