FOXBOROUGH (Mass.) The Dallas Cowboys will be visiting the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) The storylines are numerous, and they start right at the top.
Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner, and Robert Kraft, Patriots owner set the tone for their respective franchises.
They are the proud owners of nine Super Bowl titles between them -- six for Kraft and three for Jones --
Forbes rates their teams as the richest in NFL -- the Cowboys are valued at $6.5 billion and the Patriots at $5 Billion.
They are also powerhouses in the NFL's business. Jones is known for his innovative marketing strategies, corporate sponsorships, and stadium development. Kraft was a key player in the huge television deals the league has and helped end the lockout of 2011.
Both teams will clash on Sunday. ESPN.com asked them questions about their relationship with one another, their teams, and their views of the NFL.
Kraft and Jones asked for permission to speak to them about their connection and nothing else relating to league issues such as Jon Gruden's resignation from his position as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Five years ago, you entered the league (Jones 1989, Kraft 1994). How was your relationship at the beginning?
Dallas, New England is on the Forbes Top 100. The Cowboys & Patriots are NFL's most valuable teams: Cowboys & Patriots $6.5B Patriots $4.85B Rams $4.85B Giants $4.8B Washington $4.2B Note - According to Forbes valuations
Jones: Jones: I was optimistic. Bob was the third owner to come into Bob's life. I knew he was a great leader. He paid a sum of [$175million] more than I paid for the Cowboys. I was optimistic about the future and was proud to see him make such a commitment. I felt like we were in similar shoes. There were many similarities between us when we first got involved with Cowboys, so I wanted him to be able to benefit from everything I learned during my first four to five years in the NFL. He's a very personable guy. He is easy to talk to and get along with. Both of us shared a common ground regarding how we felt motivated and how we saw the future for the NFL and our team. It was easy to build that trust.
Kraft: "Jerry is one of the very first owners to have me come to the NFL. He graciously invited me to join him in his suite at Super Bowl in Atlanta that year, when the Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills. The experience was overwhelming. I was a Patriots season-ticket holder for 23 years. In that time, we had only played one playoff game. That game was against the Houston Oilers in 1978. I was just days away from buying the Patriots and was sitting in Jerry Jones's suite at Super Bowl with his guests. Stardust was in my eyes. It was an amazing experience that helped me identify an organizational goal. It was a great experience to see the Cowboys win the Super Bowl. I want to share it with New England.
"I was inheriting a team just a few seasons removed from 1-15 or 2-14 seasons. Jerry went 1-15 his first season in the league, and had the same experience when he purchased the Cowboys. The Cowboys won two consecutive Super Bowls in five years. The challenge of purchasing a franchise that was struggling historically presented me with a similar challenge. I was determined to bring the Patriots back to life. Spending time with Jerry during my first few weeks of ownership gave me reasons to believe it could be possible. Jerry was a great friend and helped me to get started in the league. It meant a lot."
How much do league business contacts matter to you?
Kraft: "When the Patriots were bought, it was the most expensive sports franchise I had ever paid." Jerry had five years ago bought the Cowboys. He introduced an aggressive marketing strategy to maximize his market share and market the Cowboys. He broke the mold and revolutionized the way NFL owners conduct business. When I purchased the team, the Patriots were the last in the league for revenue. That was something I wanted to change. Jerry was the trailblazer for me and other new owners. Jerry is a great person to talk with. Jerry is passionate about the Cowboys and has a great vision for building a brand. Over the past three decades, I have served on numerous league committees alongside him. This has given us ample opportunity to talk about league business and the future direction of the NFL.
Forbes lists the NFL's most valued franchises as Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones of the Cowboys. AP Photo/Tim Sharp
Jones: "We communicate a lot. We both serve on various committees and, through them, we are able to communicate and work together mentally and actively through the resolution of league problems or opportunities. Jon Jones' son and Stephen Jones' son are unique friends and enjoy a special relationship. Although they may not approach it in the same manner, and they might not approach their contributions or activities with the franchise the same, they enjoy the same -- to my mind -- status with the team. This is a real productive and positive thing."
Are you friends or enemies?
Jones: "We are allies in the future growth and challenges that the league faces." We are more often than we think aligned. While you may not agree on all issues, we do agree on the majority of the issues that will affect our family's future generations. It's not an easy partnership to compete in the same way that we do, but it is possible. It also comes with all the nuances -- jealousies and competitiveness, and all the things that come with it when you're playing against another guy's city and his team. That is all now well and good with us. He has, to my credit, managed to overcome the natural competitiveness and at-odds you have. He's helped me through it and helped me to get past it.
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Kraft: "The NFL can be a very funny business. He is an ally to me off the field. We are business partners, who compete in one of most competitive industries in the globe. Each of us has passionate fans. He has been a great business partner and a great friend. He is one of my favorite salesmen and has done great things with the money he generated for the Cowboys and the brand. He's passionate about his team, and that's what you want in a business partner. A person who is committed to creating a brand that we all can be proud of."
What do you most appreciate about each other?
Kraft: "I love Jerry’s passion for Cowboys and his enthusiasm in all he does. He is, as I have said, one of the most gifted salespeople God has ever given to this planet. Sometimes I don't understand what he is talking about, but he is so passionate and confident that you believe everything he says. He is a charmer who can get what he wants. These are traits that have been very successful for him throughout his career and for the Cowboys.
Jones: Bob has exceptional communication skills. Excellent communication skills. He is very straightforward. A guy told me that he was the most likely to succeed at Columbia. He is very gifted in this area. He is intense and has a captivating outer surface. This combination is extremely effective."
How do you work together?
Jones: "We love football. We love football. He does, too. That is my belief. We are so passionate. We are passionate about the NFL, the Cowboys and the Patriots. We know that the NFL is what makes the Cowboys and Patriots great. It wouldn't be possible without competition, the viability of other teams, and the viability. He has a great sense of this and makes the right decisions.
Kraft: "I feel very lucky to be able involve my sons into my family businesses, which includes the Patriots. They are my family and I have the opportunity to spend time with them each day. They have all done a tremendous amount of work. Jerry, I'm sure, feels the same about the Cowboys' opportunities to include Charlotte Stephen and Jerry Jr. It's a blessing we both take for granted. This is just one example of the many things Jerry and I share in common. Each of these examples helps strengthen our relationship.
What are your thoughts about the NFL business?
Kraft: "The NFL remains as strong and vibrant as ever. It has a bright future." We were able to use the recent collective bargaining agreement as a foundation for long-term, record-breaking media deals with broadcasting rights and streaming options that will help us grow our audience both nationally as well as internationally. This is good news for everyone. We can reach our fans in creative and new ways through technology that we have never seen before. It's a great time to be part of the NFL, and to explore its potential growth.
Jones: "Since my time in the NFL, I can say that we are at our best hour. This is due to how we handled COVID. You can start right there because it's always in our minds. The interest in our game is evident in the people who watch us on TV, digital and other media. If you look back at years past, and take a look at the stadiums that we have, starting in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, I see a great deal of improvement. I've never had a better time with the quality and the atmosphere.
