Jerry Jones, owner of the >Dallas Cowboys, is not only a football mogul but also a savvy businessman. Before purchasing the Cowboys in 1989, Jones built a successful career in the oil and gas industry. He leveraged his entrepreneurial background to transform the Cowboys into one of the most valuable franchises in the world, currently valued at over $10 billion.
Beyond football, his wide-ranging business ventures have significantly contributed to his wealth. His impressive income is a reflection of both his sports and entrepreneurial success, leading to a staggering net worth.
What Is Jerry Jones’ Net Worth?
Jones has made a ton of money over the years, with much of it stemming from his ownership of the Cowboys.
Back in 1989, Jones bought the franchise for $150 million. In the decades that followed, the Cowboys’ valuation skyrocketed to its current mark in the billions — the highest valuation of any NFL franchise. In fact, it’s $2 billion ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Rams’ $7.79 billion valuation. No other NFL team surpasses the $8 billion mark.
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The Cowboys are the most valuable sports team in the world, and it isn’t particularly close. The franchise is well ahead of the second-place New York Yankees, who are valued at $7.1 billion.
Jones’ net worth is estimated to be $14.2 billion as of June 2024, which ranks No. 139 in the world.
Where Did Jones’ Wealth Come From?
Jones purportedly got his start in business as a young boy when he worked as a greeter at his parents’ grocery store, Pat’s Supermarket.
His first major business venture turned out to be a failure. Jones invested in Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, which was the first franchise pizza chain in the United States. It peaked in the 1970s before shuttering all of its Dallas-Fort Worth locations in 1989.
He then went to work for his father, Pat, as an executive vice president at his insurance company, Modern Life Security. Jones walked away with $500,000 when the company was sold in 1970, according to The Oklahoman.
He initially expressed interest in buying the financially ailing San Diego Chargers just a year out of college in 1966, but his father talked him out of it.
Jones ultimately moved on to oil drilling with the Arkansas-based company, Jones Oil and Land Lease. He struck oil in 12 of his first 13 wells, with the first yielding $4 million in oil, according to the book “The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America.”
This is how Jones had the financial capital to buy the Cowboys, which he has since built up to exponentially greater heights of profitability.
Today, he’s still involved in the oil and gas space as the controlling shareholder of Comstock Resources. He also has a number of real estate and retail projects in Texas.
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Jones’ income is also driven by massive broadcasting deals, sponsorships, and merchandise sales, along with investments in real estate, including AT&T Stadium, where the Cowboys play. He also holds stakes in hospitality ventures, including Legends Hospitality, a sports and entertainment company that further boosts his earnings.
From a failed investment in a pizza chain to oil success to owning the most valuable sports franchise in the world, Jones has become one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet.