Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones have had their high and low moments together. Most NFL fans know very well about their history together with the Dallas Cowboys.
Johnson will soon finally get honored for his Cowboys’ achievements. The two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach has his name on the team’s Ring of Honor on Saturday at halftime of the Cowboys and Detroit Lions game.
The last time Johnson was associated with anything Cowboys-related was his final season in 1993 — which saw Jones stunningly fire Johnson over reports of a power struggle between the two.
But were the 90s the only time both men worked together? Their relationship goes back even further — to Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Were Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones College Football Teammates?
Together, both Johnson and Jones heard the roar of the Arkansas Razorbacks crowd and the famed chant “Pig Suey!”
Johnson and Jones were indeed former college teammates. Johnson was a defensive lineman at Arkansas from 1962 to 1964. Jones played across the way on the offensive line, having arrived a season earlier in 1961.
Johnson went on to earn All-Southwest Conference honors by anchoring the defensive trenches.
Outside of the Super Bowl rings the two won together with the Cowboys, Johnson and Jones managed to earn another ring together.
The former head coach and general manager/owner duo were members of Arkansas’ 1964 national championship-winning team. That Razorbacks team went through the regular season 11-0 under legendary college football head coach Frank Broyles.
Their title journey culminated with a narrow 10-7 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the national championship. It ended up becoming the lone national title the Razorbacks have won in school history.
Jones Explains Why It’s Time To Honor Johnson
Cowboys fans know very well the much-publicized rift between the two men, resulting in the shocking firing of Johnson after winning the Super Bowl in 1993.
Dallas managed to win one more title post-Johnson, which came in 1995 under his replacement Barry Switzer.
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Many who followed the Cowboys and across the league wondered if Johnson and Jones would ever mend their fences. Saturday represents the final opportunity to heal the old wound of that 1994 offseason decision.
In an interview with ESPN NFL reporter Todd Archer on Dec. 27, Jones described the feeling as dealing with “beautiful scars.” However, he elaborated that not once did he disregard the accomplishments of Johnson.
“I never had a time when I didn’t appreciate his confidence and skill level. Ever. I’ve always had that appreciation when we parted. I did that at that particular time. So that has never been an issue,” Jones said.
“But, frankly, we were so tight and so strong, and when you use the word, saying ‘competitive,’ we didn’t have a lot of time to talk about the old times when we first got involved.
“In our first four years, this thing, every day was Pearl Harbor on and off the field. But it was a great atmosphere. Great. Again, his being in our Ring of Honor does, in my mind, say that.”
Johnson also responded — and came off as someone who lost any measure of bitterness inside his heart on that fateful day.
“We’re both extremely proud,” Johnson said to Archer. “The way the Cowboys are today and the way the Cowboys were back then, we are very proud of what we were able to do.”