Jerry Jones defiant about not paying up for Cowboys coaches: ‘Put that in your hopper and smoke it’

Jerry Jones rejected the idea that paying more for a head coach is linked to winning, as criticism grows over the Cowboys’ season and the appointment of Brian Schottenheimer. The owner and general manager said his review of NFL teams and coaches showed no such connection, while acknowledging his record is regularly questioned.

Jones’s comments came after Dallas fell to 3-5 with a heavy defeat by Arizona. Schottenheimer earns a reported $4.5 million a year, compared with about $12 million for Jacksonville’s Liam Coen and $13 million for Chicago’s Ben Johnson; both rivals reached the playoffs in their first seasons and have started the 2026 season strongly. Former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has also led Pittsburgh to a 6-2 start.