Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is facing backlash, though he might not be fully aware of his actions. A video of Jones watching a Cowboys practice surfaced on social media Saturday, sparking reactions that brought up long-standing accusations of racism against him.
The video appeared during a livestream posted by actor and comedian Jamie Foxx, who was sitting with Jones while watching a Cowboys practice. Foxx showed the field, Jones, and himself. Unaware he was being filmed, Jones began describing a player’s measurements, though he didn’t specify who the player was.
Jones started with typical NFL Combine stats.
“He looked pretty good there,” Jones said. “He showed balance, 5-foot-9 and a half, 210.”
Foxx agreed, repeating the height and weight back to Jones.
“4.41 [40-yard dash],” Jones added. “Nine and three-inch hands.”
Then Jones appeared to veer off script.
“Eight and a half inch ****,” Jones seemingly said before Foxx cut off the video.
Jones has faced racism claims before
The video, shared by Glock Topickz, clearly showed Jones but remains unverified. Nonetheless, it circulated widely on both social and traditional media. It’s possible Jones was misquoted or attempting a joke, but many assumed he was making a comment that could be deemed racially insensitive.
There’s no certainty the player in question was Black, but the measurements mentioned match those of running back Dalvin Cook, who is listed as 5-foot-10, 210 pounds, and ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 draft.
Jones, who grew up in racially charged Arkansas, was included in a 1957 Washington Post photo, showing him at age 14 among white students blocking Black children from attending a public school.
In 2023, Jones was also accused by former NFL Media writer Jim Trotter of making a racist remark, suggesting that Black players should not ask for more HBCU representation because they already receive a significant share of league revenue.
Comments on Jones’ words ignite strong reactions
Given this history, Jones faced severe criticism after the Cowboys practice video aired.
Popular Twitter page MLFootball, with 260,000 followers, posted: “WHAT IN THE JERRY JONES IS THIS…”
League reporter Dov Kleinman commented,
“𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Jerry Jones is going viral for his livestream with Jamie Foxx, where he seems to be talking about a player’s penis size. ‘8 and a half inch d***,’ Foxx quickly ended the stream.”
“Jerry Jones is the P Diddy of the NFL.”
@90sConcert tweeted, “Jerry Jones didn’t want people like Jamie Foxx in public schools. He physically protested to stop Black children from entering schools. But sure, treat him like a normal, upstanding non-racist.”
The Cowboys are set to play the Ravens in Week 3.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports writer covering the NBA, NFL, and MLB for . He joined Heavy in 2019 and has over two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the Sporting News’ lead NBA reporter. He’s authored seven nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley Became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.”
