Jerry Jones drops bombshell about decade-long cancer fight

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opens up about decade-long cancer fight and remarkable recovery.

In a rare and deeply personal revelation, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared that he battled stage 4 melanoma for more than a decade, and won.

Jones, now 82, confirmed to The Dallas Morning News that he was diagnosed in June 2010 and underwent multiple surgeries and treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. His survival, he said, was made possible by an experimental drug trial.

"I was saved by a fabulous treatment and great doctors and a real miracle [drug] called PD-1 [therapy]," Jones said. "I now have no tumors."

Over the years, Jones underwent two lung surgeries and two lymph node surgeries. PD-1 immunotherapy, which helps the immune system better target and destroy cancer cells, was still in trial stages when Jones began treatment.

Jerry Jones credits PD-1 therapy and doctors at MD Anderson for saving his life

A stage 4 melanoma diagnosis typically carries a 35% five-year survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society. However, advances like PD-1 therapy ,now widely recognized, have pushed that number closer to 50%.

Jones' disclosure came during an interview tied to Netflix's America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys documentary, which hinted at his battle. In one episode, he recalled a doctor's advice during treatment:

"Make a list of 10 people who can just boil your blood wish for them the greatest things you can wish for." With a grin, Jones admitted, "At No. 1, I wrote down the name 'Jimmy Johnson.'"

I think Jones' story will resonate beyond football, serving as a reminder that medical innovation can change lives, even when the odds are stacked against you.

For more on Jones' battle and recovery, see The Dallas Morning News and American Cancer Society.