Jerry Jones Credits Michael Irvin for His Gold Jacket

Jerry Jones was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, which he credited to Michael Irvin.

Jerry Jones Credits Michael Irvin for His Gold Jacket

Jerry Jones embraces Michael Irvin with former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman in the back of the frame (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Jerry Jones credits Michael Irvin for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  • Irvin played 12 seasons with the Cowboys, winning three championships and earning multiple accolades.
  • Bill Belichick was snubbed as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, while Eli Manning missed induction for the second year in a row.

In light of Bill Belichick being snubbed as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and Eli Manning missing the trip to Canton for the second straight year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared a fact about his HOF journey that only a few knew until today. Jones, 83, claimed that Michael Irvin is the reason he made it in.

Irvin served 12 seasons as the WR1 for the Dallas outfit. He helped the Cowboys win three championships while bagging three All-Pro and 5 Pro Bowl nods along the way. Irvin was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, nearly ten years before Jones became the first owner of an NFL franchise to have his bust placed alongside great athletes in the Hall of Champions.

Speaking with TMZ, Jones confessed that he wouldn’t be in the HOF if it weren’t for Irvin. Sure, the 59-year-old won a lot of silverware, but Jones credited the hard work the retired wideout put in and the attitude he displayed on the field, which made him a great player.

I wouldn’t have the gold jacket had Michael Irvin not played for the Cowboys. To be involved and be around the winning mentality or that winning physicality—when Michael says it, I listen.

Jerry Jones said

Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989, a year after Irvin began playing in the NFL. He saw the Cowboys win three rings, the last one coming in 1996. However, since then, the Cowboys have won just four playoff games, with the last victory coming in the 2022-23 season.

Belichick, who won eight total rings (6 as the Patriots head coach and 2 with the Giants), fell short by a handful of votes as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Eli Manning, the former Giants QB, was shocked to hear about it.

[Belichick is] one of—if not maybe the greatest coach of all time—and what he built there in New England, and the amount of Super Bowls they went to, and AFC championships, let alone just the amount that they won, it was incredible… I can’t imagine a more deserving coach to make it in the Hall of Fame than him.

Eli Manning said

Manning, a two-time Super Bowl winner in his own right, did not make it in for the second straight year.

NFL teams are showing interest in trading for George Pickens after Jerry Jones’ big announcement

Everyone knew that George Pickens‘ ceiling was very high, even when the Steelers decided to part ways with the young receiver last year. Dallas acted quickly and signed him as they pushed for the Super Bowl.

Jerry Jones Credits Michael Irvin for His Gold Jacket
Jerry Jones (Image via IMAGO)

The Cowboys did not qualify for the playoffs. However, Pickens proved that he is a top playmaker in the league. He finished with 93 receptions for 1492 yards and scored 9 touchdowns.

Jones declared that he is in contact with Pickens and will talk about an extension with him in the near future. That said, NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport reported that the Cowboys might place a tag and even allow GP to leave for a suitable offer.

Pickens, still only 24, will only get better in the next couple of years. So, it makes sense for Jones to keep him around. Under the tag, Pickens is likely to earn around $28 million. Dallas has negative $30 million in cap space, so Jones needs to make significant adjustments in order to secure some funds to pay the Georgia graduate; otherwise, he will be on the next flight out of the Lone Star State.

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