Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Opens Up On Cancer Scare
Well, well, well. Just when you thought Jerry Jones couldn’t surprise us anymore, the 82-year-old Dallas Cowboys owner drops this bombshell. He has been quietly battling stage 4 melanoma for over a decade. And guess what? He won.
In a revelation that’s about to shake up the sports world, Jones opens up about his cancer diagnosis in the upcoming Netflix documentary “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys.” But in typical Jones fashion, he couldn’t just let the documentary do all the talking. He had to spill the beans to The Dallas Morning News first, because why wouldn’t he?
Jones Reveals His Secret 14-Year Battle
Jones was diagnosed back in June 2010. That’s right, while we were all watching him make questionable draft picks and wonder if this would finally be “the year,” he was secretly fighting for his life. The man has been dealing with stage 4 melanoma for 14 years, undergoing multiple surgeries and experimental treatments, and somehow still found the energy to be, well, Jerry Jones.
“I was saved by a fabulous treatment and great doctors and a real miracle [drug] called PD-1 [therapy],” Jones told reporters this week. “I went into trials for that PD-1, and it has been one of the great medicines. I now have no tumors.” Let that sink in for a moment. No tumors. The guy who’s been the face of “America’s Team” through thick and thin beat stage 4 cancer. That’s not just impressive. That is downright miraculous.
The Treatment That Saved Jones’ Life
Now, before you start thinking this was some walk in the park, let’s get real about what Jones went through. Over 10 years, he endured two lung surgeries and two lymph node surgeries. The PD-1 therapy, which helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells, worked wonders, but it came with a price.
“It ate my hips up. I had to have both hips replaced because it was rough on your bones,” Jones admitted after Wednesday’s practice in Oxnard. “But other than that, I’m so proud to get to be sitting here with you guys and be getting to do what we do.”
Both hips replaced because of cancer treatment, and he’s calling that “other than that,” like it’s a minor inconvenience? This is peak Jerry Jones right here. The man could probably lose a limb and still show up to training camp talking about how “we’re going to win the Super Bowl this year.”
What This Means For Cowboys Fans
Look, say what you want about Jones’ decision-making as an owner and general manager, but you’ve got to respect the hell out of this man’s fighting spirit. Stage 4 melanoma used to be essentially a death sentence. We are talking about skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, with survival rates that would make even the most optimistic person think twice.
But Jones didn’t just survive; he thrived. He continued running one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world while undergoing cancer treatment. That takes a special kind of stubborn determination. The same kind that makes him believe he can be both owner and GM despite decades of evidence suggesting otherwise.
The Netflix Documentary Connection
The timing of this revelation isn’t coincidental. “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” is set to debut next week on Netflix, and apparently, Jones decided to use his cancer battle as part of the narrative. Because of course he did. The documentary chronicles his purchase of the Cowboys, the firing of Tom Landry, and the rise of the 1990s dynasty.
Here is where it gets interesting. The cancer treatment came up during a discussion about meditation. Jones was told to list 10 people who “boil your blood” and wish them well. His first entry? Former Head Coach Jimmy Johnson. When asked later how the meditation was helping, Jones reportedly said with a smile, “I can’t get past that first mother…” Classic. The man is fighting cancer and still can’t get past his issues with Jimmy Johnson. If that’s not the most Jerry Jones thing you have ever heard, I don’t know what is.
Coach Schottenheimer’s Story Adds Perspective
In a strange twist of fate, Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer also revealed his own cancer battle this week. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 28 while coaching the Chargers in 2002. Within 72 hours of his diagnosis, he was at the Mayo Clinic having his thyroid and 17 lymph nodes removed.
“Mine was certainly less serious… Nothing like Stage 4, nothing like what Jerry and other people have to go through,” Schottenheimer said. “But you hear that word ‘cancer,’ and it scares the hell out of you.”
It is almost poetic that Jones and his new head coach both understand what it’s like to face mortality head-on. Maybe that shared experience will translate into something special on the field. Or maybe it won’t, and we’ll still be here next January, wondering why the Cowboys can’t win in the playoffs.
The Bigger Picture For Jones
What makes this story even more remarkable is Jones’ perspective on it all. When talking about pressure and challenges, he put it perfectly: “We all have pressure, let’s all be thankful we’re here to get to deal with it.”
That is surprisingly profound from a guy who once said he could coach the team better than his actual coaches. But cancer has a way of putting things in perspective, even for someone as ego-driven as Jones. His perspective on running the Cowboys probably hasn’t changed one bit.
“I was with the Cowboys because I wanted the job of running the Cowboys,” Jones explained. “Not necessarily for my children, not necessarily for anybody, I wanted that job. That’s the way it’s been, and when you’re passionate and get totally engulfed in what you’re doing, that helps you deal with some of the other issues we deal with in life.”
So there you have it, folks. Jones beat stage 4 cancer the same way he’s approached everything else in his life. With stubborn determination and an unwavering belief that he can overcome anything. Whether that translates to finally getting the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl remains to be seen, but you’ve got to admire the man’s resilience.
