Jerry Jones calls talk of him being forced to sell Cowboys 'laughable'
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Nov 15, 2017
Frisco - Two heavyweights in our nation's most popular sport on opposite sides of the ring, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is refusing to back down from the fight he's picked over NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's proposed new contract. "We do not intend to publicly comment on our discussions".
In addition to the cease-and-desist warning, some owners are reportedly discussing a nuclear option - the long-shot possibility of making Jones forfeit his ownership in the Cowboys.
League spokesman Joe Lockhart denied ESPN's report. Jones had been a nonvoting member of the committee until he was thrown out after threatening to sue the members.
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan (h/t Roy White III of Shan and RJ), Jones said, "I've had not one inkling of communication with the league office or any owner that would suggest something that laughable and ridiculous".
If Commissioner Goodell feels that a simple monetary fine is not enough, the matter will then be turned over to the NFL's Executive Committee which could force Jones to sell his franchise if the committee deems it necessary.
In fact, Jones dismissed the rumor that he's been issued a "cease and desist" notice from his fellow National Football League owners over his very public objection of Goodell's immediate extension.
The six people on the committee - the owners of the Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans - have spoken regularly with other owners about the status of the negotiations, and Blank briefed all owners on the contract talks at leaguewide meeting in mid-October.
Jones has been boisterous in his opinion of the six-game suspension of star running back Ezekiel Elliot.
The fight between Jones and the committee has raised the tension in other ways.
Suspending an owner for conduct detrimental to the league is an extraordinary step, but it has happened.
But that's not the likely action the owners are thinking of taking. Punishing Jones might prompt lawsuits and the prospect of an even messier and more public fight.