In a bid to lift spirits during a disappointing season, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones delivered an early Christmas surprise to his players, dressing as Santa Claus to hand out presents.
A Festive Morale Boost
On Christmas Eve, just one day before a critical NFC East matchup against the Washington Commanders, the 83-year-old billionaire donned a full Father Christmas costume. Jones personally delivered gifts to the team at their hotel, aiming to inject some festive cheer into a challenging campaign.
"I know this team had a great time, I'll never forget it," Jones later told radio station 105.3 The Fan, describing the occasion as "a lot of fun."
Victory on the Field
The unusual motivational tactic appeared to pay dividends. The following day on Christmas, the Cowboys secured a 30-23 victory over their divisional rivals at FedExField.
The win came during a transitional and underwhelming season for the franchise. After firing head coach Mike McCarthy early in the season and hiring Brian Schottenheimer for a fresh start, the team has struggled. The trade of star defender Micah Parsons and subsequent defensive issues left Dallas with a 7-8-1 record and eliminated from playoff contention.
Those defensive frailties were evident even in victory. After the offence raced to a commanding 21-3 lead, the Cowboys conceded ten points in the third quarter, unnerving their travelling supporters before holding on for the win.
Owner Admits Team Fell Short
Speaking after a home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers the previous week, Jones openly admitted the team had failed to meet expectations. "Yes," Jones stated regarding the team's underperformance. "From what we expected, what we thought, absolutely we did. We've all performed below expectations. The fact that we're not in the playoffs says it all."
He did, however, try to find some positives, noting, "I think we've done some things that we can carry with us, as is always the case, there are some positives."
Looking ahead, Jones hinted at significant changes, posing the question: "Can we make some changes where we need to? That would be pretty profound and a lot to multiply there with the way we played this year."
The true turning of the page to next season will begin after the Cowboys play their final game of the season on the road against the New York Giants next week.
