Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Baltimore Ravens. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Netflix docuseries revealed that Jerry Jones was almost Chargers problem, not Cowboys

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 4:06 PM ET

There was a time when Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys were on top of the world. Of course, most fans today don't remember that since they haven't moved past the second round of the playoffs since 1995.

Still, Jones finds ways to get publicity, and he did it again with a new Netflix docuseries, America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys. The series premiered on Tuesday, and there have been some interesting revelations, including one that would have made the past three decades much more tolerable for Dallas fans.

Jones revealed that he nearly purchased the San Diego Chargers when he was 28 years old. In typical Jones fashion, there were some interesting details, including the admission that he would have been borrowing money from Jimmy Hoffa.

"When I was borrowing money from the Teamsters, a connection helped me get a visit with Jimmy Hoffa," Jones recalled via Zachary Yanes of WFAA. "Jimmy Hoffa was one of the most feared names in America. And he basically said, 'We think we can be a part of being in professional sports.'"

When Jones told his father about the plan, things fell apart. The elder Jones didn't want his son to owe money to the Teamsters, concerned about what would happen if he couldn't make his payments.

Of course, Jones still found his way into the NFL, eventually purchasing the Cowboys in 1989, and continues to irritate fans to no end. That frustration might be even worse now that they know he was nearly the Chargers' problem, not theirs.