Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t get the birthday gift he was hoping for as his team suffered a brutal 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on his 82nd birthday.
Known for his sharp critique of the Cowboys, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith couldn’t resist commenting on the blowout but surprisingly expressed sympathy for Jones in the process.
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Stephen A. Smith feels for Jerry Jones
In a video posted on his social media, Smith opened with his usual playful critique of the Cowboys’ misfortunes but quickly shifted his tone to a more empathetic stance regarding Jones.
“I know you saw what happened today. Not a victory. But a blowout on Jerry’s birthday,” Smith said.
“By the way, I’m not happy about that. My buddy Jerry Jones on his 82nd birthday, he shouldn’t deserve something like that, but we’ll address that another day. All I can say is what an a** whooping.”
The Cowboys’ performance on Sunday was anything but celebratory.
Detroit dominated from the start, racking up 492 total yards while the Cowboys struggled to gain traction, managing only 251 yards and committing five costly turnovers.
Quarterback Dak Prescott contributed to the team’s woes with two interceptions.
Even with the Lions losing defensive star Aidan Hutchinson to a broken tibia, they extended their lead to a comfortable 38 points in the fourth quarter, securing the win in front of the Dallas home crowd.
Jerry Jones: Loss was very humbling
For Jones, the blowout was not only disheartening but also “very concerning.”
In his post-game comments, the longtime owner and general manager addressed the team’s troubling performance.
“This was very concerning and it was very humbling,” Jones remarked.
“I felt bad because of all of our great fans, especially the ones in the stadium… We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Despite the loss and the team’s 3-3 record, Jones remained adamant that he was not yet considering significant personnel changes, including firing head coach Mike McCarthy.
“I’m not ready to talk about changes right now,” Jones stated.
“I haven’t even considered that. I’m not considering that.”
McCarthy, in his fifth season with the Cowboys, has yet to bring the franchise the elusive Super Bowl win it has long desired.
With a playoff record of 1-3 under his leadership, there are growing concerns about his future with the team, especially as the Cowboys’ season teeters on the edge.
Jones, however, is taking a wait-and-see approach, giving the team a chance to regroup during their upcoming bye week.
“There’s nothing magic about a bye week,” Jones noted, remaining cautious about the road ahead.
“You can do some things differently… but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
