OXNARD, Calif. – Jerry Jones talked about the Cowboys without Jason Witten and Dez Bryant when he sat down with our own Greg Simmons live on Instant Replay.
Simmons jumped right into the Dez question and Jones- quickly started with an “I love Dez.”
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Jones continued saying it was very hard to let him go but that it was best for both parties.
“Not only for the Cowboys but for Dez. And Dez has a lot to offer the NFL and a team. And if he can get on the field, in which I expect him to get on a field, I think he can really help a team,” Jones said.
Of course the Twitter rant was mentioned and Jones said he is understanding of Bryant’s emotions right now.
“Dez wants to play football and he really, in my mind, wants to be a Dallas Cowboy,” Jones said, “But as passionate as he is, and certainty there were some erroneous things that he said and that he responded to. So that didn’t surprise me for him to respond to the nature of what he was reading on social media.”
The two chatted about how social media has evolved and how it was not around when Jones attended his first Cowboys camp 30 years ago.
“Jason Witten, take me back through that,” Simmons said, “what was it like knowing this was the end, and regretting not giving him a super bowl ring,” he asked Jones.
“Of all the people I’ve met in my 30 years in the NFL, coaches, players, TV execs, commissioners, and other owners, Jason Witten is in the top 5 of anybody I’ve ever met,” Jones said.
He talked very highly about Witten at his retirement announcement and continued to do so in Oxnard.
“He had one of the greatest opportunities that I’ve ever seen. Those don’t come along (often),” Jones said.
Witten will be the new voice of "Monday Night Football" since Josh Gruden is leaving for the Raiders.
“But there’s an example of if you will give everything you’ve got and have that kind of success. Jason Witten could be a part of this game for the next 30 years. And a friend knows that this opportunity was one he needed to take and he deserves it,” Jones finished.
As far as the future of the boys without the duo of Witten and Bryant he was confident in the young players they have fighting for the tight end and wide receiver positions.
"(We have) players who can really come in here at tight end and make this position different," Jones said.
He went on to say that they will miss Dez, "but we have some good guys, our young guys, and we have a quarterback that can really spread it around."
As the interview was wrapping up, Jones did have some words for all of the Dallas Cowboys fans in the Countdown City.
“San Antonio, it means so much to the Cowboys' players to have your support. I know that we have a higher percentage of Cowboys fans in San Antonio then we might in downtown Dallas.” Jones said with a big smile, “And so, I’m excited about getting to do anything with the Cowboys I can in San Antonio.”