Jerry Jones: "All Owners Should Be Holding The Commissioner Accountable"
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he is one of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's biggest supporters, but some would say otherwise with the report of recent contract talks being stalled by Jones.
Jones has recently said that he thinks the negotiations on Goodell's contract needed to 'slow down' with a reported 18-months left on Goodell's current deal. But many experts think the deal is expected to be done at or before the next owners' meeting in Dallas.
The new contract would reportedly pay Goodell close to $40 million a year starting in 2019 and running through 2023.
"All owners should be holding the (NFL) Commissioner accountable in my view, that's the gist of this thing," said Jones on his weekly radio show with The Fan's Shan & RJ. "The commissioner is very powerful...maybe the most powerful, relative to his constituency" said Jones.
Jerry Jones on #NFL Commissioner Goodell's contract fight: "I think ultimately we will influence what I want to influence."@1053thefan
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) November 21, 2017
Many have speculated that Jones is only leading this fight against Goodell as a way to get back at him for Ezekiel Elliott's 6-game suspension for alleged domestic violence, a punishment by the NFL that has never been pursued by law enforcement officials.
"There was precedent, there was all kinds of things that would influence the Commissioner's decision there" said Jones. "That's the thing that ought to be looked at, not the Zeke situation, but the entire way that Zeke and the philosophy and everything behind it. As far as Zeke is concerned, he's done - as far as his suspension is concerned. But that's not what this issue is."
Jones also tole The Fan that linebacker Sean Lee will not play Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers because of a hamstring strain. It will be Lee's fourth missed game of the season. "But the other three, they've got a chance to play," said Jones referring to left tackle Tyron Smith, linebacker Anthony Hitchens and kicker Dan Bailey.