Apparently Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is ready for a fight with one Jerry Jones. In response to a tweet posted by the NFL on CBS asking which city deserves the next NFL expansion team, Johnson promptly replied Dallas.
“The answer is Dallas” Johnson tweeted. “Why? We’re about to overtake the Chicago metro and become the #3 metro in the US, which would make us the largest US metro WITHOUT 2 teams. Soccer is king here. Dallas needs an expansion team, and we could entertain two NFL teams better than LA or NY.”
I do not say Johnson has no valid reasons to back up his claim, but this would be a huge uphill battle. There is no doubt that the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro Area could support a second NFL team. However, if this gains traction, Jones will be all over Johnson’s ass trying to end this.
As the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jones makes his money with the first hand over ten. Jones would fight the league to the death for it. There’s no way Jones will willingly step aside and divide the Dallas market. Jerry made his feelings known years ago when the NFL flirted with her set up a team in San Antonio. Jones didn’t want that nonsense then, and he certainly wouldn’t now.
Let’s face it, Jones would have a big problem with a team that roamed anywhere within about 250 miles of their Cowboys. While it’s an ambitious thought on Johnson’s part and another NFL team would certainly help the local economy, it’s not going to happen with Jerry around. A Dallas-area native, Johnson was elected the city’s 60th mayor in June 2019. If this talk of a Dallas second NFL team gains traction, Jones could evict the mayor from town.
Say what you will about the Cowboys and their fanbase, and a lot of things are said about them all the time, but they’re a loyal bunch. I don’t think it would be that easy to just launch another team and expect people to embrace the new franchise right away. I know a lot of Cowboys fans and it would take time to build a new fan base across town.
Even if the Cowboys play in Arlington and not actually Dallas, it can take a generation or two to build a sizable following for a new organization. Jones also has other business ventures in the area. In his eyes, the entire metropolitan area is his territory. I just don’t see him sharing that with any other NFL organization that would likely eat away at his Cowboys’ profits significantly.
Another plot line that could potentially be related is the simmering resentment between Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. In a recent interview, former Papa John CEO John Schnatter claimed he was approached through Daniel Snyder, owner of Jones and Washington Commanders, on Goodell’s sacking. So this is something else to keep an eye on as trying to add another team in Dallas could be seen as Goodell coming back to Jones.
This whole scenario is intriguing and could set off fireworks in North Texas if it ever comes to fruition.
