Patriots owner Robert Kraft, perhaps the only owner the players truly trust, has received much deserved praise for his role in the negotiation of a new labor deal. Another owner regarded by many as a man more likely to play hardball also is drawing credit for getting the deal done.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, despite reportedly trying to intimidate the players early in the process, played an important part in working things out.
“Without him, that deal wouldn’t have gotten done,” Cowboys tight end Jason Witten told Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. “Everyone should know that.
“Sometimes you forget how influential one person can be. He didn’t make it emotional. I t was always about building a partnership and working toward a resolution. It was never something personal or trying to gain any advantage for himself. It was all about representing everyone in the entire room. That’s not always easy to do -- and he did that on a daily basis.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell agrees. “Jerry was outstanding,” Goodell told Gosselin. “I’m not sure this deal could have gotten done without him. His passion is unmatched. His drive is incredible. . . . His commitment in this negotiation was clearly evident.”
Jones’ likely reward for his effort will be a 10-percent tax on his local revenues, given the terms of the new supplemental revenue sharing package that was developed as part of the labor deal. The Cowboys presumably are at or near the top of the list of revenue-generating teams.