Before he built the world’s most valuable sports franchise, Jerry Jones nearly went bankrupt trying to drill oil. Then he doubled down and bought the Dallas Cowboys.
Trailer for “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Jones walked into the Cowboys front office and immediately fired Tom Landry—the only coach the team ever had—on national TV. The backlash was so bad they called it the “Saturday Night Massacre.”
- The 1990s Cowboys had a secret crash pad called “The White House,” where players partied with drugs, guns, and women just miles from the team facility. It was like the NFL’s version of Van Halen on tour.
Watch “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys”
You can watch the full docuseries on Netflix.
Ratings
- My Rating: 93/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 85/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: This is a Netflix docuseries, directed by Chapman Way (“Untold: Caitlyn Jenner”, which my colleague Rob Kelly ranked 91/100) and Maclain Way. It dives deep into the business of the NFL, the building of a dynasty, and the raw personalities that fueled it all.
Release Date: Released on Netflix: December 2025
My Review of “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys”
The Setup
In 1989, Jerry Jones was a near-bankrupt oil wildcatter who somehow scraped together $140 million to buy the Dallas Cowboys.
This series covers the wild ride that followed: the dynasty years of the early ‘90s, three Super Bowl wins, locker room brawls, cocaine busts, power struggles, and the rise of the most valuable franchise in global sports. This is a football doc, a business story, a celebrity saga, and a masterclass in chaos management.
More Highlights from the Doc
- In 1989, Jerry Jones was so deep in debt from oil deals that banks were circling. But he still bought the Cowboys for $140 million.
- Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones were college teammates at Arkansas—so when Jones hired him as head coach, it was part reunion, part power struggle.
- The Cowboys drafted Emmitt Smith in 1990. He’d go on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
- They won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years—1992, 1993, and 1995—but behind the scenes, Jerry and Jimmy were feuding like rockstars. Johnson left after the second title.
- Barry Switzer took over and immediately inherited a loaded roster… but also a locker room filled with egos, legal problems, and hangovers.
- The doc has unreal behind-the-scenes footage of Jones mic’d up, players at parties, and heated coaching staff meetings.
Cameos – Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Michael Irvin tells a story about having to miss a game for a court date…and then catching a touchdown the next week like nothing happened.
- Jerry says his biggest regret wasn’t the firing of Landry—it was how he handled the Jimmy Johnson breakup.
- Charles Haley—one of the most feared defenders in NFL history—openly talks about how mental health struggles shaped his behavior on and off the field.
- The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders became part of the branding machine—featured in promos, on merchandise, and even global tours.
Wrap Up
Love him or hate him, Jerry Jones changed the NFL. This doc is pure gridiron chaos and I couldn’t stop watching.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc