This isn’t a headline from a satirical magazine. the Pro Football Writers of America actually named Dallas Cowboys general manager and owner Jerry Jones as its NFL Executive of the Year.
The reasoning behind this is clear, and somewhat odd. Dallas finished the 2014 campaign with a 12-4 record, its best since 2007. And after three consecutive Week 17 losses to lose out on the NFC East title, the Cowboys earned top spot in that division for the first time since 2009.
So on the surface, it would make sense to name Jones as the executive of the year.
After all, the team did add an All-Pro in the form of Zack Martin in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. Dallas also brought in some solid under-the-radar veterans such as Rolando McClain and Henry Melton to help improve what had been a disastrous defense in seasons prior.
But how much of this was Jones actually involved in? A case study would be the entire Johnny Manziel situation leading up to and during the 2014 draft this past May. After initially indicating that the team had no interest in drafting Johnny Manziel, who was a downright bust in Cleveland this season, Jones retracted big time (via CBS Sports).
I want you to know that almost as I was handing in the card, it was that close to putting that Manziel card in. It was that close,” Jones said in late July. “I looked over to my son, Stephen, our chief executive officer, and I said ‘I took the right pick.’ … He was the top player by three players on our board at the time that we were sitting there looking at him.
Maybe Stephen Jones deserves the award?
One thing that the elder Jones has done over the past couple seasons is surround himself with others when it comes to making player personnel decisions. He’s no longer the loan dog atop that department within the organization. That in and of itself deserves some recognition. It’s also one of the primary reasons Dallas has turned things around on the field.
In a vacuum, selecting Jones as executive of the year would make some sense. However, there were much more qualified candidates out there, including Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who was my selection.
At the very least, Dallas’ front office is no longer the hot mess that it had been in recent seasons. This award is a prime example of that transformation.
Photo: NBC Dallas