Jimmy Johnson began his thank yous with Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who served as his presenter.
But who would have expected the former coach to thank Cowboys owner Jerry Jones second?
Jones and Johnson’s relationship is well documented, but it seems to have thawed since Jones and then Johnson have earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Last month, the Cowboys owner wondered aloud during a news conference why he “f–ked it up” with Johnson in 1994. The Cowboys had won back-to-back Super Bowls and might have made it three in row if not for their split.
Jones announced Thursday he will put Johnson in the team’s Ring of Honor, leaving Jones as the Cowboys’ only Hall of Famer without that honor.
“I guess you want to know what I’m going to say about Jerry Jones,” Johnson said early in his 8-minute, 50-second speech. “Well, Jerry, you told me we were going to sports history before we ever bought the Cowboys — before you bought the Cowboys because I didn’t pay a damn cent. You know what? We — WE — we did make sports history, not only for the Dallas Cowboys but for the NFL. To go from the worst team in the league two years in a row to winning back-to-back Super Bowls and building a heck of a football team, we did it, and let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Jerry. Thank you for giving me that opportunity.”