Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, has weighed in his thoughts about the Tony Pollard situation where the NFL running backs are not happy with the paychecks. The National Football League has gone through quite the transformation over the course of a few years where the quarterbacks have become more essential to the team than the running backs.
Jerry Jones on the Changing Face of the NFL: From Running Backs to Quarterbacks
We all remember the glory days of yesteryears when the NFL was a playground for hard-hitting running backs. The Cowboys were part of that golden era, boasting a treasure trove of legendary runners. But times are changing according to the Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones. He believes the NFL is gradually shifting from a running back-dominated league to a haven for quarterbacks. While speaking to Yahoo Sports, Jones stated that the league games have become more “quarterback friendly” today.
“There’s no free lunch. You have to weigh the impact to the team on every decision that you make, and the system will cause it to evolve. And the system has gotten more, relative to the budgets you have, it’s gotten more quarterback friendly and less running back friendly. That isn’t just the Cowboys. That’s the game as it is today.”
It’s not a sudden revelation, though. The trend has been unfolding for a while. We’ve seen increasing protection for the quarterback, rule changes that favour the passing game, and a surge in passing plays. The Cowboys, once an RB-rich franchise, are starting to follow suit. Tony Pollard, a running back, is now taking centre stage, but the focus is beginning to tilt towards the quarterback.
Great names such as Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, and DeMarco Murray have donned the Cowboys’ uniforms as running backs. But it seems their kind is becoming less critical to today’s game. It’s a quarterback-driven world now, with the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes ruling the roost.
Tony Pollard: The New Offensive Player
The winds of change are blowing through the Lone Star state, and the Cowboys are adjusting their sails accordingly. Tony Pollard is the newest face of the Cowboys’ offence. He may not be a household name just yet, but if the Cowboys’ changing strategies are any indication, that’s all set to change. The dominance of running backs is giving way to a new era, where quarterbacks are the linchpins of successful teams. And the Cowboys, it seems, are eager to adapt to this new paradigm.
Tony Pollard may be a running back, but his role extends beyond just rushing. His versatility allows him to contribute in the passing game, making him a critical part of the Cowboys’ offensive strategy. Instead of focusing solely on rushing, the Cowboys are now utilizing their running backs in more varied roles. As Jerry Jones said, “That’s the game as it is today.”
This allows them to be unpredictable and keep their opponents guessing. This shift reflects an industry-wide trend. More and more NFL teams are recognizing the importance of versatile running backs who can contribute to different aspects of the game. Pollard represents a new era of Cowboy football, a playbook that’s attuned to the rhythms of the modern NFL.
The Cowboys’ vice president, Stephen Jones also mentioned that they offered Pollard a deal which didn’t work out so they decided to play with a tag deal this season. According to the reports, Pollard has signed a $10 million per year deal with the Cowboys.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones: "We offered Tony (Pollard) a long-term deal." Just like team did last year with TE Dalton Schultz on franchise tag, Jones noted. "We're going to play under the tag this year and respect that, and we'll see where we go moving forward."
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 25, 2023
Although, there are quite a few running backs who aren’t happy with the deals they’re being offered. Raiders star Josh Jacobs recently refused to sign the franchise tag deal and is not reporting for training.
