Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admits he made a major change during hiring cycle

Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys in February of 1989. He immediately took over GM duties and helped the team win three Super Bowls in less than 10 years.

Now, with more than three decades since their last trip to the big game, the business mogul is finally doing some soul-searching, and he's trying to change his ways.

Speaking at defensive coordinator Christian Parker's introductory media conference, Jones admitted that what he's done so far hasn't helped the team return to the top.

Jerry Jones admits he has to change 

“When you're set up the way I am, that old mirror, that self-evaluation really is appropriate and has to be done,” Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News. “My way of doing things doesn't work if I don't change. I'm not successful, then I haven't [changed]. There's no other way.”

Jones revealed that he adopted a different approach to his hiring process this cycle. He met with more coaching candidates than he usually does and reviewed how head coach Brian Schottenheimer assembled his offensive staff.

“I spent a lot of time looking at the past, when I look at the coaching situation, a lot of times,” Jones said. “I do that on everything, frankly, that I can get my hands on. I’m not trying to be philosophical, but I did less of whatever I’ve been doing [in the past] and a lot more of what I am doing in this process.”

Schottenheimer did a great job with the offense in his first year with the team, but defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus clearly wasn't a good fit for their personnel. Not even trading for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was enough to salvage the campaign in Arlington.

The Cowboys now enter a crucial offseason and are $29M over the salary cap, according to Over The Cap.

They still need to figure out what to do with their defensive linemen, who will combine for $63M in base salary, and they also need to keep wide receiver George Pickens in town.

Things usually get rough when Jones has to negotiate with a star player, and that will probably be the biggest challenge he'll have to face to prove to himself that he's actually ready to change and do things differently in other areas as well.