Jerry Jones Reveals How Cowboys Nearly Hired Sean Payton Ahead of Broncos Matchup

As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to face the Denver Broncos in Week 8, owner Jerry Jones revealed that the Cowboys almost hired Sean Payton a few years ago. 

For decades, the Cowboys owner has admired Payton’s offensive mind, dating back to their shared time in Dallas under Bill Parcells. 

As CBS Sports noted, Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan this week that the stars never quite aligned between the two. 

“Several times. It just never fit,” Jones said. “He was never there when we needed to be thinking about making a change. The timing never fit. He’s certainly one of the better coaches that I’ve been around in my career.”

Jones first hired Payton in 2003 as Parcells’ assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach, where the young offensive mind quickly made an impression.

By 2006, however, Payton took his talents to New Orleans and the rest became history.

From afar, Jones watched him build a Super Bowl-winning resume with the Saints, becoming one of the most respected coaches in modern football. 

Even now, nearly 20 years later, Jones still speaks about Payton as a coach who could have defined an era in Dallas. 

“We’ve always had a tremendous respect for his ability to coach a team in every respect,” Jones added. “I thought before he ever was a head coach that it probably would happen here.”

How Dallas Almost Landed Payton

The Cowboys’ pursuit of Payton wasn’t just a rumor. Jones truly believed he’d one day lead America’s Team. 

Payton’s background in Dallas, paired with his offensive pedigree, made him an ideal candidate for the position. 

But timing proved to be the undoing.

Each time the Cowboys faced a potential coaching transition, Payton was either under contract or in the midst of playoff runs in New Orleans. 

In the offseason of 2023, there were rumblings that the Cowboys would fire head coach Mike McCarthy and look towards Sean Payton once again. 

But Jerry never pulled the trigger and McCarthy remained the Dallas head coach up until he was let go this past offseason. 

This week’s matchup only intensifies that storyline: two of the NFL’s biggest names who almost joined forces years ago are now facing off on opposite sidelines, each trying to lead his team toward the playoffs.  

Payton’s Broncos Rise

Now leading the Broncos (5-2), Payton has reestablished his reputation after a rocky first year in Denver. 

Last year, Payton led the Broncos 10-7 record, leading the team to their first playoff appearance since 2015. The team has now won five of its last six, including a dramatic comeback against the Giants last Sunday. 

The Broncos are now first place in the AFC West. 

In just two years, Payton took a team that won just five games in 2022 to a team that has Super Bowl aspirations and has built a really solid core of stars led by quarterback Bo Nix and cornerback Pat Surtain. 

The Broncos will look to keep their momentum going against the Cowboys this Sunday. 

As the Cowboys travel to Denver, Jerry Jones makes it clear that “there’s no bitterness, just recognition of what might have been.“There’s no coach we think more of, or respect more, than Sean Payton,” Jones said. 

Sunday’s game carries big stakes for both sides, with each team fighting to stay on track in the playoff race. 

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