Jerry Jones Calls Out 'Ridiculous' Belief That Cowboys Weren't Spending on Contracts

The Dallas Cowboys managed to settle protracted contract disputes with star wideout CeeDee Lamb and veteran quarterback Dak Prescott before the regular season began, and on Friday team owner Jerry Jones pushed back against some of the narratives levied against the team during those negotiations.

"I'm proud to tell you today, factually, we spent the most cash of any club in the National Football League this year on players," he said during an appearance on The K&C Masterpiece on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic). "We're the No. 1 cash-spender on players. The reason I'm saying it in that manner is because there was a critique going on a few weeks back that we weren't sending money on players, which is amusing and ridiculous."

It's a bit confusing what figures Jones is citing here, however. According to Spotrac, it was in fact the Cleveland Browns who spent the most cash in 2023 ($292.6 million) and have spent the most in 2024 ($334.6 million).

The Cowboys, meanwhile, were 11th in 2023 ($260.6 million) and are 13th in 2024 ($272.6 million). Even if you push it out multiple seasons, the highest the Cowboys currently rank in future cash spending is second, in 2028.

Now, the Cowboys have spent big money this summer, no doubt. Prescott's four-year, $240 million deal included an $80 million signing bonus. Lamb's four-year, $136 million deal came with a $38 million signing bonus.

That still didn't push the Cowboys to the top of the cash spending rankings, however.

Jones and the Cowboys aren't cheap, of course. Last month, for instance, he spoke to reporters about the high costs the Cowboys have paid on non-player factors:

"Everything we have to put the show on, the facilities the players have, the way we here we are at this fabulous training camp out here. We have the best of everything. And we certainly, I would hope that you would underline this—underline it—everybody has to spend the same on the players. They don't have to spend the same on non-player costs."

"The Cowboys are the number one spender for non-player cost. That's why we have all the facilities that we have. I've always been a very aggressive spender for anything to help us win a football game. So it's ridiculous and I know that everybody knows deep down. You can't look at it and say that I wouldn't spend the money if I thought it would help us win. What you're seeing is that I'm trying to decide the best way to spend the money."

Still, Jones' claims about ranking No. 1 in cash spending on players specifically appeared to be an exaggeration, at best.