Jerry Jones and son Stephen Jones nearly came to blows after two of the Cowboys' most important decisions

Some of the most important decisions in Dallas Cowboys history were not made calmly around a conference table. At least twice, they pushed Jerry Jones and his son Stephen into confrontations intense enough to become personal, and, in one case, physical.

The first came in 1995, when Jerry was determined to sign Deion Sanders despite Stephen ’s concerns over the financial consequences.

The second arrived nearly 20 years later, when Johnny Manziel was still available in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and Jerry wanted the Cowboys to take a swing on the former Heisman Trophy winner.

Both moments revealed the same fault line inside the organization, pitting Jerry ’s appetite for bold, headline-making moves against Stephen ’s willingness to challenge him when he believed the risk was too great.

According to The Athletic, the Sanders argument became heated enough that Stephen shoved his father against a wall.

“You really gonna do this?” Stephen shouted, pressing his arm into Jerry’s chest. “What are you gonna do, hit me?” Jerry responded.

Jerry got his way. Dallas signed Sanders to a $35 million deal, and the star cornerback helped the Cowboys win the Super Bowl later that season.

The episode also reinforced something Jerry had already begun to understand about Stephen, in that he wasn't going to simply agree with him.

Johnny Manziel sparked another explosive argument

That dynamic returned during the 2014 draft. Manziel had fallen to Dallas at No.16, leaving Jerry with the opportunity to select one of the most famous and polarizing quarterbacks in the country.

Stephen opposed the move and helped steer the Cowboys toward Notre Dame guard Zack Martin instead. Jerry was furious with what he saw as a conservative choice.

“I hope you’re happy,” Stephen remembers his father telling him that night, face red, jaw clenched.

“You don’t do special things in life, I would have never bought the Dallas Cowboys , making middle-of-the-road decisions. And what you just did is down the middle. You’ll never be great.”

The years that followed made Stephen ’s argument look remarkably strong. Martin became a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the best offensive linemen of his era.

Manziel , meanwhile, lasted only two NFL seasons, appearing in 14 games while throwing seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

Cowboys power struggle shaped major calls

The Sanders and Manziel stories show why the relationship between Jerry and Stephen Jones has never been a simple hierarchy.

Jerry ’s instinct to chase Sanders was vindicated almost immediately. Stephen’s resistance to Manziel proved equally significant.

That push and pull has helped define how Dallas has operated for decades.

“There’s a belief that sometimes Stephen is part of the mistakes Jerry makes,” former Dallas mayor and longtime Jones family friend Mike Rawlings said. “There’s also the belief that sometimes he saves Jerry’s ass.”

The Cowboys have made plenty of controversial decisions under the Jones family , but these two episodes stand out because of how close the disagreement came to boiling over.

One gamble produced a championship. One decision avoided a potential disaster. Both left a lasting mark on the franchise.