Dallas Cowboys fans have reacted strongly to Jerry Jones’ recent claim that he “didn’t know” about the $250,000 incentive tied to benched backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Despite their position in or out of the playoffs, the Cowboys remain a focal point in the NFL, and unfortunately for Jones, his recent comments have sparked criticism.
After Dak Prescott sustained a hamstring injury, Rush stepped in as the starting quarterback. However, despite Rush having the opportunity to earn a $250,000 bonus if he played 55% of the team’s offensive snaps, Dallas chose to start Trey Lance in Week 18, effectively ending Rush’s chance to earn the incentive. Jones later stated he was unaware of the incentive, which fans quickly took issue with.
Rush, who signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Cowboys, had performance-based incentives built into his deal. He already earned $250,000 for playing 45% of the snaps, but he would have earned an additional $250,000 had he reached 55%. This made the decision to start Lance in the final game of the season feel unjust to many fans, especially with Jones denying knowledge of the situation.
Speaking to NBC’s Pat Doney, Jones said, “I didn’t even know about it until I read about it… Those incentives are in there for the team, and we put them in there so that if someone — in his case as a backup quarterback — has to play, they’ve got the financial incentives.” Jones emphasized that these incentives are usually part of the contract, negotiated by the player’s representatives, before pointing out that Rush had already earned significant incentives during the season.
Many fans were quick to call out Jones, accusing him of dishonesty. One fan simply responded, “Freaking liar,” echoing the sentiment of many others. Rush had performed decently in relief of Prescott, winning four out of five games in a stretch. However, fans were frustrated by Jones’ response, suggesting that he was either lying or inept in his role as GM. Some criticized Jones for his wealth, stating, “There are no moral billionaires,” implying that his refusal to honor the incentive was a reflection of his lack of integrity.
A few fans remained hopeful that the Cowboys might still grant Rush the bonus, viewing it as a gesture of goodwill that could help build trust with the player. Others argued it would improve the franchise’s image, particularly given the Cowboys’ immense wealth, with Forbes estimating their worth at over $9 billion. Fans felt that awarding the incentive, especially given the small amount involved, would have been the right thing to do for a team with such financial resources.
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