DALLAS — New year, same question: When will Jerry Jones induct Jimmy Johnson into the franchise's Ring of Honor?
Jones was faced with that question again Wednesday, after he announced that outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware would be joining the exclusive club.
Jones had been questioned for years about adding Johnson to the Ring of Honor. The two had a falling out when Johnson left the team after the Cowboys' second Super Bowl win in the 90s.
But the matter seemed to be resolved in 2021, when Jones announced that he was planning to add Johnson to the Ring of Honor. Jones, however, didn't give a timetable on inducting Johnson, and he's passed on adding Johnson in the last two years.
Jones surprised everyone Wednesday by announcing Ware's induction. Ware this year was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Cowboys will hold an induction ceremony for Ware at some point this season.
After Wednesday's press conference about Ware, Jones was immediately pressed on why he wasn't inducting Johnson.
"There's no 'waiting' as much as it is how and when we do something," Jones said. "The 'waiting' term isn't a product of this process ... in that sense, everybody that is going to go in there in the future is waiting."
Jones then joked about putting Micah Parsons in the Ring of Honor, saying that's actually a likelihood in the future but that doesn't mean he'll be going in immediately.
"The point is that this isn't necessarily because we're open for business at the Ring of Honor that there is some order of things when you start talking about timing," Jones said. "That's never been an idea ... at all, in any way."
When asked if he was concerned about his and Johnson's ages - Jones is 81 and Johnson is 80 - Jones said he wasn't.
"He's the youngest 80-year-old you'll ever meet," Jones said. "I'm right behind him. And this thing doesn't run on an age meter. As a matter of fact, I would go the other way if somebody was accusing us of trying to beat the clock."
Jones did point out that the annual questions about Johnson have done one thing: Keep the Ring of Honor as a talking point.
"I'll say this, it's gotten a lot of questions being asked ...period," Jones said. "It does keep it interesting, doesn't it? If it had happened 5 years ago, would we have a question about it today? Not one."
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