Nov 1, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Former Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes head coach Jimmy Johnson is seen on the sidelines during a game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Miami Hurricanes at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
Jimmy Johnson famously had a messy break up with the Cowboys, and owner Jerry Jones despite the success they had together winning 2 Superbowls. As the annual circus around Jerry Jones acting as the Cowboys’ general manager continues to swirl as the Cowboys circle the drain, Jerry defended himself by pointing out his success as GM in the early 90’s during those runs.
Now Johnson seems on a war path, and calling out the players and Cowboys organization on their motivation.
“All the players in this league think they’re self-motivated and that’s a bunch of bull because there are only a handful that are self-motivated,” Johnson said. “So you’ve got to motivate these players through some respect but the No. 1 motivator is fear. Fear of letting down your teammates, being embarrassed or fear of losing the job. Where is the fear in Dallas? There’s no fear in Dallas. It’s a country club where everybody is buddies.”
That has long been a theory around Dallas, many said that there isn’t motivation and usually it is attributed to a lack of leadership. The Cowboys have maintained that they have leaders, but Johnson is emphasizing more that there is a lack of accountability and no one is holding their teammates feet to the fire so to speak.
Current head coach Jason Garrett, who is attributed with changing the “cupcake culture” the Cowboys were known for under previous head coach Wade Phillips, avoided the issue and didn’t address it directly.
“I don’t really have any comment on that,” Garrett said. “We do things the way we do things here and from a football standpoint we believe we practice the right way, we meet the right way and create the right atmosphere of urgency for our players it’s what I learned as a player and coach in this league. And that’s what we’re trying to create with our football team.”
Jimmy Johnson has served as a mentor to Jason Garrett but wasn’t holding back when he put Garrett on the hot seat while simultaneously plugging his network Fox.
“Jason Garrett is probably coaching for his job for the rest of the year,” Johnson said. “This game with Philadelphia on Fox may decide the future of coaches and players with those two teams.”
And Johnson wasn’t done there. He said there is doubt about Romo’s future with the Cowboys.
“I would extend Tony Romo unless I had somebody better, and they don’t have anybody better,” Johnson said.
We might never know who was actually acting as GM when the Cowboys had that successful run in the 90’s.