Owner Jerry Jones is aware of the situation as the Dallas Cowboys kicked off training camp on Thursday.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is holding out for a new contract, and linebacker Micah Parsons is also expected to get a new deal at some point.
“Nobody’s feeling sorry for themselves,” Jones said. “In fact, I want to say how fortunate we are to have these kinds of issues. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It motivates me to tackle these challenges.”
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the team, including head coach Mike McCarthy also in the last year of his contract, Jones isn’t concerned as they start their annual training camp in Southern California.
Instead, Jones is focused on what happens at the end of the season, hoping the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1995 season.
“I care more about winning the award for the best way to end the season than about having everything perfect when camp starts,” he said.
Even with a strong team, success in the playoffs has been hard to come by since their last Super Bowl win on January 28, 1996.
Though the Cowboys have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, they have only one win during that time and have not reached the NFC championship game. Their latest playoff disappointment was a 48-32 home loss to the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild-card game, where they were down 27-0 in the first half.
Stephen Jones referred to the team’s repeated playoff failures as “the elephant in the room.” Prescott visibly reacted when asked about how last season ended.
“We know that,” Stephen Jones said. “Our fans know that. Everybody knows that. These players know it, Mike knows it, his staff knows it. … We’ve got to take the next step. And we haven’t done that, and until we do it, there’ll be frustration.”
The concern about another playoff loss was given more attention than the ongoing contract issues. Stephen Jones mentioned that he has been having productive talks with the agents for Prescott and Lamb.
Jerry Jones observed that contract disputes are common across the league. He compared Lamb’s holdout to guard Zack Martin’s situation last year, where Martin received a new contract after missing three weeks of camp and the preseason opener.
Even Prescott, who led the league with 36 touchdown passes, said he feels a sense of relief knowing he will be well paid, regardless of where he plays next.
“Obviously I want to be here,” Prescott said. “I want to be here, but when you look at all the great quarterbacks who played for other teams, it’s not something to fear. That may be a reality for me one day. It may not be my decision. So that’s the freedom that I have.”
Jones was hopeful that Prescott’s ninth season with the Cowboys won’t be his last, but he acknowledged the uncertainty.
“Believe it or not, in my life I’ve had a lot of things I wanted that I couldn’t get because I couldn’t afford it,” Jones said. “Now, have I learned to live with that in 80-something years? You bet I have, and life goes on.”
