Jones Says Coach Pay Doesn't Correlate With Wins
The Cowboys owner defended not paying coaches at the top of the NFL market, citing a claimed lack of link between salary and winning.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said there is no correlation between coach pay and winning, speaking on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is not among the highest-paid coaches in the NFL.
Why it matters
Jones's comments address the gap between Dallas's coaching compensation and the top of the league market, a question that bears on team competitiveness. Because coaching salaries are not publicly disclosed and are estimated by outside sources, the comparison rests on estimates rather than confirmed figures.
The Cowboys, valued at $17 billion by Forbes, have a head coach salary estimated at $5 million to $8 million per year. By comparison, the highest-paid coaches average $20 million per season, and ten coaches earn at least $14 million, according to Sportico.
The players
Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones is the owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, known for his outspoken management style and for overseeing the franchise's rise to a leading NFL valuation.
Brian Schottenheimer
Brian Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, whose salary is estimated well below the top of the league's coaching market.
The details
Jones made the remarks in a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan, defending the franchise's approach to coaching compensation. Under Schottenheimer, the Cowboys are 10-14-1, and Jones's position is that pay does not determine results. There is no salary cap on coaches in the NFL.
Timeline
1994: Jones and Jimmy Johnson's working relationship deteriorated after the second Super Bowl win.
1996: The Cowboys won another Super Bowl after Johnson's departure.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Jones made the coach pay comments on 105.3 The Fan.
Season Trajectory
The Cowboys' 10-14-1 record under Schottenheimer stands against the franchise's 1994 and 1996 Super Bowl titles under Jimmy Johnson and the relationship that later deteriorated. Jones's argument that coach pay does not drive wins is tested by a league in which six of the last ten Super Bowl winners had coaches among the highest-paid.
Coaching pay and win totals are a factor for fantasy and season-long planning, since Dallas's coaching stability affects how the team uses its offense. Fans tracking the Cowboys' record can measure whether the 10-14-1 mark under Schottenheimer shifts over the remaining season.
The takeaway
Coaching salaries are rarely disclosed, so readers should treat outside estimates as approximate. Claims that pay has no link to winning can be weighed against the record of the league's top-paid coaches and recent Super Bowl winners.
Further reading
For more on the league's coaching market, see our Football coverage.
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