CFZ Will McClay is the real GM in the shadows

[Bobhaze]

The Dallas Cowboys are very lucky to have Will McClay in their front office. Though McClay doesn’t have the official GM title, in reality he handles most of the actual duties that has made this team’s drafts and roster competitive for playoff glory. I shudder to think what this organization would look like without him.

Without McClay, the Cowboys were wandering in a draft wilderness exemplified by the pitiful Jerry-centric drafts like 2009- one of the worst drafts in NFL history. McClay is the primary architect of the improved. roster building we’ve seen over the last decade. His steady hand in finding talent through all 3 days of the draft speaks for itself. Jerry re-upped McClay’s contract in Jan, 2022 and we should be grateful for that.

The actual duties of a real GM in the NFL is not what Jerry Jones does. All he wants to do is be in the spotlight, look like he’s in charge and talk, talk, talk. It’s his drug of choice. He does a good job with the business side of things obviously. But being an NFL GM requires discipline, hours in film rooms, oversight and coordination of team scouting, and a work ethic requiring a strong commitment. In other words, nothing Jerry or Stephen actually do.

BUT- I’ll give Jerry some of that much craved credit he lives for- he continues to recognize Will McClay’s talent and pays him well to do it. For that, I tip my cap to Jerry. Because without McClay there’s no good rosters in Dallas. Period.

So remember the next time Travon Diggs makes an interception or Micah Parsons dominates or Tony Pollard makes a huge play that Zack Martin and Terrance Steele made the key block for- Will McClay is the man we can actually thank for that.

Will McClay is the real GM in Dallas.

 

[guag]

I agree. I think it's pretty obvious that Jerry hasn't actually been micromanaging the roster for years now. You really can see a big difference in the drafts since McClay has been brought on board.

 

[RonnieT24]

Is it really in the shadows? I feel like McClay has been the true GM for a long time. He and his player personnel staff are the ones who find all these guys. But Jerry gets credit for putting good people in place to do the job. Hiring the right people is critically important to any organization's success.

 

[Ranching]

The Dallas Cowboys are very lucky to have Will McClay in their front office. Though McClay doesn’t have the official GM title, in reality he handles most of the actual duties that has made this team’s drafts and roster competitive for playoff glory. I shudder to think what this organization would look like without him.

Without McClay, the Cowboys were wandering in a draft wilderness exemplified by the pitiful Jerry-centric drafts like 2009- one of the worst drafts in NFL history. McClay is the primary architect of the improved. roster building we’ve seen over the last decade. His steady hand in finding talent through all 3 days of the draft speaks for itself. Jerry re-upped McClay’s contract in Jan, 2022 and we should be grateful for that.

The actual duties of a real GM in the NFL is not what Jerry Jones does. All he wants to do is be in the spotlight, look like he’s in charge and talk, talk, talk. It’s his drug of choice. He does a good job with the business side of things obviously. But being an NFL GM requires discipline, hours in film rooms, oversight and coordination of team scouting, and a work ethic requiring a strong commitment. In other words, nothing Jerry or Stephen actually do.

BUT- I’ll give Jerry some of that much craved credit he lives for- he continues to recognize Will McClay’s talent and pays him well to do it. For that, I tip my cap to Jerry. Because without McClay there’s no good rosters in Dallas. Period.

So remember the next time Travon Diggs makes an interception or Micah Parsons dominates or Tony Pollard makes a huge play that Zack Martin and Terrance Steele made the key block for- Will McClay is the man we can actually thank for that.

Will McClay is the real GM in Dallas.

Should I think about him every time TJ Watts gets a sack? JK

 

[Bobhaze]

Is it really in the shadows? I feel like McClay has been the true GM for a long time. He and his player personnel staff are the ones who find all these guys. But Jerry gets credit for putting good people in place to do the job. Hiring the right people is critically important to any organization's success.

Agreed. If only JJ would/could recognize he gets and deserves credit for hiring the right people. His lust for the spotlight only reduces what should already be enough credit to bask in.

 

[jazzcat22]

Jerry and Stephen will be in the spotlight forever.
Fans just need to accept that. It can be frustrating or entertaining.

Some fans get upset, some don't, that can be entertaining as well.

 

[Doomsday]

The OBJ stuff is going to highlight this again in my opinion.

Jerry will use the media hype to keep the team in the headlines as much as possible but in the end, Stephen and Will are not going to let Jerry dish out the money it is going to take to sign him.

 

[viman96]

McClay is not in the shadows and anyone paying attention knows he is the person responsible for the drafts.

 

[CowboyinMD]

The Dallas Cowboys are very lucky to have Will McClay in their front office. Though McClay doesn’t have the official GM title, in reality he handles most of the actual duties that has made this team’s drafts and roster competitive for playoff glory. I shudder to think what this organization would look like without him.

Without McClay, the Cowboys were wandering in a draft wilderness exemplified by the pitiful Jerry-centric drafts like 2009- one of the worst drafts in NFL history. McClay is the primary architect of the improved. roster building we’ve seen over the last decade. His steady hand in finding talent through all 3 days of the draft speaks for itself. Jerry re-upped McClay’s contract in Jan, 2022 and we should be grateful for that.

The actual duties of a real GM in the NFL is not what Jerry Jones does. All he wants to do is be in the spotlight, look like he’s in charge and talk, talk, talk. It’s his drug of choice. He does a good job with the business side of things obviously. But being an NFL GM requires discipline, hours in film rooms, oversight and coordination of team scouting, and a work ethic requiring a strong commitment. In other words, nothing Jerry or Stephen actually do.

BUT- I’ll give Jerry some of that much craved credit he lives for- he continues to recognize Will McClay’s talent and pays him well to do it. For that, I tip my cap to Jerry. Because without McClay there’s no good rosters in Dallas. Period.

So remember the next time Travon Diggs makes an interception or Micah Parsons dominates or Tony Pollard makes a huge play that Zack Martin and Terrance Steele made the key block for- Will McClay is the man we can actually thank for that.

Will McClay is the real GM in Dallas.

Been saying this for years. People giving "Jerruh" too much blame...or credit for that matter...aren't looking at the entire picture. Of course Jerry Jones is a lightning rod given his personality, But honestly, for McClay and the personnel department, it keeps the focus off of them so they can do their jobs.

I'm sure those within NFL circles know the true deal as well, and not just what's being reported in the press ("Jerry this, Jerry that, will Jerry draft Johnny Football, etc.").

I'm pretty sure Stephen Jones appreciates the facade as well. I'm still wondering about Stephen. Jimmy Johnson couldn't stop singing his praises in the early to mid '90s when he was in Dallas.

Again, great post. Refreshing actually.

 

[Zordon]

I wish I had the audio, but about a month ago Jerry was on the radio and the interviewer asked him about McClay and his successes he's had at free agent acquisitions and overall roster building. Jerry's reply was that it was actually Stephen who is responsible for that, but Stephen was too humble to take credit for it.

 

[DBOY3141]

McClay is the GM when it comes to the draft. Most GM's are responsible for coaching decisions along with other things football related and I'm sure McClay is not involved in that....at all. So it's a 3 headed monster. Jerry = coaches, Stephen = FA, McClay = draft. As we've seen, that structure doesn't work.

 

[Risen Star]

Oh, they still try to pretend Jerry isn't the GM.

 

[Risen Star]

McClay is the GM when it comes to the draft. Most GM's are responsible for coaching decisions along with other things football related and I'm sure McClay is not involved in that....at all. So it's a 3 headed monster. Jerry = coaches, Stephen = FA, McClay = draft. As we've seen, that structure doesn't work.

That and the fact that Will McClay can't make a single decision on the roster. He can only advise.

Unfortunately we listened to that advice and took Taco Charlton over T.J. Watt.

Lucky to have him.

 

[RonWashington]

Houston wanted him a few yrs as it’s GM and Jerry made him an offer “ he couldn’t refuse “ to stay in the family business .

 

[Bobhaze]

McClay is the GM when it comes to the draft. Most GM's are responsible for coaching decisions along with other things football related and I'm sure McClay is not involved in that....at all. So it's a 3 headed monster. Jerry = coaches, Stephen = FA, McClay = draft. As we've seen, that structure doesn't work.

Jerry does all press visibility and final decisions. Stephen manages Jerry (e.g. not letting him draft Johnny Football) and (poorly) manages the cap. Will McClay does most of the actual GM work.

 

[Loso86]

The Dallas Cowboys are very lucky to have Will McClay in their front office. Though McClay doesn’t have the official GM title, in reality he handles most of the actual duties that has made this team’s drafts and roster competitive for playoff glory. I shudder to think what this organization would look like without him.

Without McClay, the Cowboys were wandering in a draft wilderness exemplified by the pitiful Jerry-centric drafts like 2009- one of the worst drafts in NFL history. McClay is the primary architect of the improved. roster building we’ve seen over the last decade. His steady hand in finding talent through all 3 days of the draft speaks for itself. Jerry re-upped McClay’s contract in Jan, 2022 and we should be grateful for that.

The actual duties of a real GM in the NFL is not what Jerry Jones does. All he wants to do is be in the spotlight, look like he’s in charge and talk, talk, talk. It’s his drug of choice. He does a good job with the business side of things obviously. But being an NFL GM requires discipline, hours in film rooms, oversight and coordination of team scouting, and a work ethic requiring a strong commitment. In other words, nothing Jerry or Stephen actually do.

BUT- I’ll give Jerry some of that much craved credit he lives for- he continues to recognize Will McClay’s talent and pays him well to do it. For that, I tip my cap to Jerry. Because without McClay there’s no good rosters in Dallas. Period.

So remember the next time Travon Diggs makes an interception or Micah Parsons dominates or Tony Pollard makes a huge play that Zack Martin and Terrance Steele made the key block for- Will McClay is the man we can actually thank for that.

Will McClay is the real GM in Dallas.

Duh Jerry is clearly incapable of doing anything that's considered good or positive in anyway!?? Lmao smdh

 

[817Gill]

That and the fact that Will McClay can't make a single decision on the roster. He can only advise.

Unfortunately we listened to that advice and took Taco Charlton over T.J. Watt.

Lucky to have him.

I don’t get your contradictory view on the front office. You can’t on one hand say this organization was a personnel mess in the prime Jerry years 97-2012 while also saying McClay hasn’t done squat.

Either you believe Jerry and Stephen smartened up and started building better rosters themselves or you, falsely as I may add, believe that the current rosters aren’t any better than those in the time frame mentioned above.

My question to you is, is it not obvious that this team is better built the last 5-6 years than the teams in early to mid 2000’s generally were? And as a follow up because it’s pretty obvious that the team is built better and drafts better now than before, who do you give the credit to for the personnel competency?

And before you respond that we haven’t won a SB so it’s all the same I’ll say it here so you can’t cop out. Obviously the teams are better now than they generally were in the 2000’s, even if it’s not by significant leaps and bounds it’s definitely better and more competitive.

Either you think Jerry and Stephen improved or you credit McClay, would be curious to see what alternatives you come up with.

 

[75boyz]

Strange for me in understanding how the Jerry defense crowd forgets, neglects, or ignores that he carries that GM title in name only. Jerry does not do ANY of the ACTUAL duties the job description calls for.

I've never quite been able to understand the Jerry defender goup's thinking when it comes to this.

As with a lot of other Zone topics that require a little more than surface level thinking, I usually end up shaking my head and laughing at the responses.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

That dude's just an advisor. The real GM is Stephen...he's the one that oversees the cap. But even he has a boss.

 

[SlammedZero]

Shhhhh!!! We are never to speak of the 2009 draft around here!

On a serious note, great post OP! McClay has seemingly done a fantastic job behind the scenes. I know people like to bring up the misses (like above with TJ Watt/Taco), but those things happen to all GMs. It's easy to look back and point fingers, but that's just the way it goes with the draft. You win some. You lose some.