The Dallas Cowboys are the world’s most valuable sports franchise, according to Forbes. While that doesn’t mean owner Jerry Jones has unlimited funds, it does mean he is in a unique position to use the team’s financial power to build a competitive NFL roster.

However, Jones chooses not to do that. He avoids big spending in free agency, doesn’t restructure contracts to maximize the NFL salary cap, and most notably, he is unwilling to pay top dollar for coaches. This issue surfaced recently when Texas Longhorns running backs coach (and former Cowboys player) Tashard Choice turned down a coaching offer from the Cowboys to remain at Texas.

Tashard Choice Rejects Cowboys, Joins Detroit Lions for the Same Role

That decision alone was embarrassing for a franchise that considers itself the NFL’s gold standard. But it got worse. On Thursday, Choice accepted a job with the Detroit Lions as their new running backs coach.

Choice received a pay raise at Texas after rejecting the Cowboys, and reports indicate his salary with the Lions will be even higher. Forbes values the Lions at $4.1 billion, compared to the Cowboys’ $10.1 billion. In 2024, Detroit’s estimated operating income was $56 million, while Dallas generated $564 million.

The Cowboys losing a coach to the Lions shouldn’t happen under any circumstances. There are no spending limits on coaching staff salaries, only limits on what teams are willing to pay. If Cowboys fans ever wonder why the team hasn’t reached an NFC Championship Game in nearly 30 years, the answer is obvious.