Jerry: I’ve earned the right to joke with Zeke. Let me be real clear about that

[superonyx]

The man has stuck his neck out, along with his reputation and checkbook, multiple times to defend Zeke after boneheaded moves.

And Zeke repays him by holding out with 2 years left on his deal?

Yeah. He’s earned the right to make a little joke.

While the joke was light heart and funny why do so many people pretend Jerry stuck his neck out to defend Zeke?
Jerry was defending his own interest. The old dude wants to win a SB before the dirt nap and having his best player suspended hurts him more than it hurts Zeke.

Jerry was fighting for Jerry and Zeke was the chess piece.

Stop it.

 

[CouchCoach]

Elliot has made several mistakes and problems for himself and his agent. He is banking on his skill on the field now because he don’t have much else. At this point he is likely listening to his agent and doing what he says. Not sure if it was Elliot’s idea to hold out. It sounds like a agent idea. Just like don’t get your surgery till they sign you idea. Now D-Law says he wishes he got it done early.

In the end if JJ and SJ say here is gurly money plus a dollar then Elliot better jump on it and I think his agent will say sign. I am not sure how big Elliots head is as far as ego. Is he dead set to get 15 or he won’t play. The FO is approaching no return perhaps.

Lawrence is trying to do damage control because he won't be earning that 1.2M paycheck to start the season. They play it tough during negotiations and try to come off as Mother Teresa once that's done. Hell, it's a business but the fans expect him to earn that 21M and not disappear at crunch time.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Bell was a FA. Thats a fact not just your opinion.

Speaking of "facts" .....https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-part-of-steelers-trade-talks-before-deadline

"
The market for Le'Veon Bell's services was reportedly nonexistent in advance of the NFL's Oct. 30 trade deadline.

According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, "no teams" called the Pittsburgh Steelers to try to acquire Bell as he continued to hold out amid a lengthy contract dispute.

Bell, 26, has been away from the Steelers since the start of training camp after the club franchise-tagged him for the second straight year ($14.54 million in 2018)."


Ouch! Now tell the board how much that hurt. lol

 

[OmerV]

Jerry has given ex players jobs with his different businesses if they are having a hard time financially.

Jerry doesn't just care about them while their on the field, the man cares about his ex players even when they cant play anymore.

I don’t disagree, but sticking up for Zeke when in trouble with the league is league business, and an issue that affects the team, not helping out a former player that is a bit down on his luck. I’m not suggesting he doesn’t care for Zeke, but again, let’s not act as if helping Zeke wasn’t also in the interest of the team.

 

[aikemirv]

While the joke was light heart and funny why do so many people pretend Jerry stuck his neck out to defend Zeke?
Jerry was defending his own interest. The old dude wants to win a SB before the dirt nap and having his best player suspended hurts him more than it hurts Zeke.

Jerry was fighting for Jerry and Zeke was the chess piece.

Stop it.

So Jerry trying to derail Goodell's contract was him defending his own interest? He was trying to stick it to Goodell for what he did to Zeke - it cost him 2 million. I am pretty sure that qualifies as sticking his neck out for him!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/sports/jerry-jones-roger-goodell-payment.html

 

[phildadon86]

So Jerry trying to derail Goodell's contract was him defending his own interest? He was trying to stick it to Goodell for what he did to Zeke - it cost him 2 million. I am pretty sure that qualifies as sticking his neck out for him!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/sports/jerry-jones-roger-goodell-payment.html

Nope, not according to some here that cant admit that Jerry did

 

[OmerV]

Jerry truly loves his players. Not just the ones that benefit the Cowboys on the field.

I'll never forget how he sat with Anthony Lucas after blowing out his knees during camp. Here's a guy that probably wouldn't have made the team, but there was Jerry calling the player's mother.

I haven’t suggested Jerry doesn’t care for players, but Zeke wasn’t a hard luck case that wasn’t going to have money or that experienced a personal tragedy or had a rough family life. And, we also know that despite his affection for players, Jerry can go along with letting them go if he feels it is in the interest of the Reteams, as he did with Ware and Dez, for example. In any case, it’s weomg to simply say Jerry was going out on a limb for Zeke while ignoring that what he was doing was also in his own interest.

 

[khiladi]

Jerry ‘earned the right’ but let’s his franchise get screwed by the NFL and Goodell constantly..

Please.. Jerry hasn’t earned anything with Zeke.. If anything, guy has made the NFL billions and let’s his team get screwed including when Dez caught it..

 

[khiladi]

So Jerry trying to derail Goodell's contract was him defending his own interest? He was trying to stick it to Goodell for what he did to Zeke - it cost him 2 million. I am pretty sure that qualifies as sticking his neck out for him!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/sports/jerry-jones-roger-goodell-payment.html

Jerry was derailing Goodell’s contract before the Zeke issues.. Goodell was trying to derail Jerry..

 

[aikemirv]

Jerry was derailing Goodell’s contract before the Zeke issues.. Goodell was trying to derail Jerry..

Do you have any source for that pre Zeke suspension. It is not that I don't believe you, I had just not heard that. Also to what level?

 

[aria]

Actually, I do. If Jerry truly believed any of his players was being railroaded, I think he;d step to the plate for any one of them. It's been a criticism of Jerry for a couple of decades: he cares too much about the players. He went to bat for Josh Brent (a basic football nobody) to help him in time of need and support.

Did the impact of missing Zeke on the field fuel Jerry's fire a little more? I think that would be safe to say, but my point stands. Jerry has ALWAYS gone to bat for his guys.

Not Lucky Whitehead.

 

[khiladi]

Do you have any source for that pre Zeke suspension. It is not that I don't believe you, I had just not heard that. Also to what level?

I remember reading it goes back, but I currently can’t find it. But the opposition of Jerry didn’t just surround Goodell, but the whole NFL office, which he felt was a bunch of bloated expenses. He wanted to trim that down as well.

The following article references the issue about Goodell’s contract right after the Zeke suspension in September, mentioning the opposition to the contract in the works for months:

One source familiar with the ongoing drama said Jones has argued persistently for months to the committee that other owners believe Goodell makes "way too much money" and demands a pay cut and a radical change in the formula that compensates the commissioner. Jones also believes several other employees in the league office are overcompensated.

Jerry basically WON the negotiations, because the contract stipulates 4 million guaranteed per year, as opposed to the supposed 40 million a year he wanted guaranteed including unlimited use of the plane for himself and family. Jerry basically got a bunch of incentives in place.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...-impeding-roger-goodell-contract-negotiations

 

[Chocolate Lab]

While the joke was light heart and funny why do so many people pretend Jerry stuck his neck out to defend Zeke?
Jerry was defending his own interest. The old dude wants to win a SB before the dirt nap and having his best player suspended hurts him more than it hurts Zeke.

Jerry was fighting for Jerry and Zeke was the chess piece.

Stop it.

Surprised more don't get this.

 

[khiladi]

While the joke was light heart and funny why do so many people pretend Jerry stuck his neck out to defend Zeke?
Jerry was defending his own interest. The old dude wants to win a SB before the dirt nap and having his best player suspended hurts him more than it hurts Zeke.

Jerry was fighting for Jerry and Zeke was the chess piece.

Stop it.

Yep, this is even how it was reported in 2016 when the Cowboys were surprisingly 6-1 and it was Zeke’s first year. Even a year prior to the suspension, the following was being reported about Jerry around the league investigation of Zeke. This was the same Jerry that brought in Greg Hardy when they needed a pass rush badly.

But Jones' actions seem to imply that Friel's investigative work is detrimental to the league. Elliott is one of the brightest young stars in the NFL. If he were to receive a suspension, and the 6-1 Cowboys were to lose him for any length of time, it could affect the team's NFC East standings and their shot at the playoffs. That could take money out of Jones' pocket.

http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/ar...es-respect-nfl-investigation-process-pitfalls

 

[Diehardblues]

Jerry is our biggest obstacle to overcome.

 

[BigD49]

He's not joking with Zeke. He's joking at him. At his expense. Making people laugh at Zeke. Turning him into a laughing stock. That's disrespect, not frivolity.

Light a candle for his downtrodden soul

 

[superonyx]

So Jerry trying to derail Goodell's contract was him defending his own interest? He was trying to stick it to Goodell for what he did to Zeke - it cost him 2 million. I am pretty sure that qualifies as sticking his neck out for him!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/sports/jerry-jones-roger-goodell-payment.html

You don’t get it. Jerry tried to block Goodell because Roger was willing to hurt Jerry’s chances at a Super Bowl by suspending his best player for any period of time.
Jerry was fighting for his own interest.

would jerry have cared so much if it was Noah Brown facing suspension?
Of course not.

 

[Plankton]

The Jones’s absolutely dunked on Dak, Zeke, and Cooper today.

 

[Polkton31]

It really isn't about whether or not Jerry was selfless in sticking up for Zeke, or he was just protecting his franchise/business. The reality of the situation is that Jerry had to make the decision to stand by Zeke, or remain silent and let the situation play itself out. Jerry took the former approach and made his commitment to support Zeke known to the public. This put Jerry front and center in the fight against the NFL when the commissioner decided he was going to prosecute Zeke for something that had already been taken care of and the charges had been dismissed. Fast forward... How does Zeke repay this act? He goes out and gets in trouble again, almost gets suspended, then holds out for more money while he still has 2 years left on his current contract. Not exactly the smartest business decision on Zeke's part.

Now, I have to say that I like Zeke as a football player, but not so much as a person. So, before all of the "Zeke is the greatest running back to ever play the game" crowd starts bashing me, let me say a couple of things. Is Zeke a great running back? Yes. Does Zeke make this team better on the field? Yes Do I understand that Zeke is trying to protect his future against a devastating injury? Yes. Having said all that, Is there a better way of handling this situation? Yes. Right now, In my opinion, Zeke is acting like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Jerry has one of two choices on how to handle it. Discipline him and let him continue to hold out. Or, give in to his demands and expect the same thing to happen again and again. If I was Jerry, I would rather see what I have in Pollard and a running back by committee approach, than to give in to someone and set a precedence for other players to follow.

PS. Only about 99% of the English speaking world realized Jerry was joking when he said, "Zeke who?".