​Cowboys fans notice different Jerry Jones — here’s the insider explanation originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.For Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, the past few months have been anything but quiet, with the team making several significant moves during the offseason. Still, Jones believes Dallas has the pieces necessary to be in contention for a chance to play on February 14, 2027.For Jones, the Cowboys’ 2026 season will ultimately be judged by whether they remain in the hunt for their biggest objective as the calendar moves into 2027. That belief has been strengthened by the upgrades Dallas has made on both sides of the football.As Jones continues to express confidence that the Cowboys can compete for a Super Bowl in 2026, The Athletic’s Joe Machota offered his theory on why Jones seems to be approaching this season differently.“I think part of it is I don’t think he felt there was any way the defense would be as bad as it was last year,” Machota said. “He probably feels like he deserves a big chunk of the blame why things didn’t work out Micah Parsons and how poorly that set up the team last year and had a big hand in why they finished and had such an awful season. “So I think it’s several things. I don’t think it’s just one thing. While Jerry is still out there and is still the biggest known owner, and he still talks the most out of all the owners. It’s not the same Jerry Jones that maybe we saw five, six years ago.”While the Cowboys featured one of the NFL’s most dangerous offenses in 2025, major concerns remained on defense. Dallas had a top-10 offense led by Dak Prescott, but its defensive struggles ultimately contributed to a disappointing record and kept the team out of the playoffs.The Cowboys ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring, averaging 27.7 points per game. However, their defense had major problems throughout the season, giving up a league-high 30.1 points per game.Dallas has since taken significant steps to address those weaknesses. The Cowboys added veteran experience in Von Miller, Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams while also bringing in promising young talent, including Caleb Downs and Rashan Gary through additional moves. Those moves designed to boost the defensive line while improving the team’s overall depth and talent in the secondary, which is why Jones seems much more confident.More NFL news:C.J. Stroud’s bizarre pregame routine leaves Texans fans scratching their headsJerry Jones’ response shows why Cowboys are taking $500K fine seriouslyKay Adams turns heads with viral pose at final day of Cowboys training campDak Prescott has blunt 5-word response to Cowboys adding future HOFer Von MillerCowboys’ George Pickens’ latest training camp admission should terrify NFC East rivals