Jerry Jones’ limitations have been worrying for everyone but himself. Now sitting at over 10,000 days (let that sink in!) without reaching the NFC Championship Game or a Super Bowl, it’s no secret that the top brass of America’s Team have failed at every juncture, including the 2025 season. However, for an owner who’s believed he’s the best decision maker, his confidence still buoyed by that one spectacular Jimmy Johnson hiring 37 years ago, there’s not many who agree. And that includes former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.

“There’s been some good teams,” the former player told FOX 4’s Mike Doocy and Sam Gannon earlier this week. “Tony Romo had some good teams. That could have went and won the Super Bowl. So he did put some good products out there. They just couldn’t get over the hump. But, it always starts from the top up, top down.”

But Woodson’s public criticism doesn’t end here. As a 3x Super Bowl winner and part of the Cowboys’ glory days in the 1990s, he’s long pointed out exactly why the team has faltered the way it did.

“I think the Cowboys are too casual,” Woodson opined in February last year. “There’s not a whole lot of intent. It’s a very casual organization, and casual gets you a .500 record. In the offseason, Troy Aikman would show up to throw passes, so did Michael. But now every year, two weeks after season, I see Dak Prescott out there throwing the football. But I don’t see all the starting receivers. I see practice-squad guys off the street running routes for him. You don’t just build a team in July and August. It starts in the offseason when you need guys to buy in. This team hasn’t bought in.”

Casual or not, the results were pretty much sprawled across our screens this season.

While the offense did a commendable job on paper, helmed by quarterback Dak Prescott’s best season so far with 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns for the NFL’s second-best total offense and seventh-best scoring offense, they let up in one major area.

When the team was in the red zone, they scored a touchdown only 56 per cent of the time, ranking 16th in the league. This includes an 83% red zone conversion rate in their first three home games this season, failing to convert in the red zone just twice in 12 instances. However, in their final five home games, they failed to convert in the red zone at least twice in each game, with a 45% red zone conversion rate. But the conversation is not complete without talking about one more thing: The defense.

Coupled with the disaster that defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ hiring turned out to be, the Cowboys surrendered a league-worst 30.1 points per game, adding up to an NFL-high and franchise-record 511 points. The team also gave up 377 yards per game, third-worst in the league. Opposing offenses routinely set career records against Dallas, as the secondary was prone to giving up huge plays while failing to generate turnovers.

The situation grew so desperate that first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer had to step away from his offensive duties just to help manage the defensive meetings. There was a brief moment of hope when the team traded for All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, but the momentum didn’t last. Eventually, Schottenheimer was left with no choice but to move Eberflus from the sideline to the coaching box during games. But it was too late to save the season. Just two days after the season ended, Eberflus was fired.

But not everything can be blamed on the coaches alone. Some accountability must go to the one who hired them, as pointed out by Woodson last year.

“I would have loved to have seen it,” the retired safety further said when talking about Deion Sanders’ potential hiring as the head coach. “But look at Deion’s buyout. Has Jerry really ever paid a coach? No, never.

“Brian Schottenheimer’s hiring was surprising. I thought they’d go outside the organization and bring in someone to make a splash. When this organization was really good, it was when Jimmy Johnson who came in and bought the groceries. He hired, fired, and handled the personnel. And then coach Bill Parcells came. We had three straight years of 5-11 but he came in, bought the groceries, and we went 10-6. Bottom line: The head coach has to have some control and be the main decision-maker.”

And that last line is exactly why many think Schottenheimer was hired.

Already a part of the Cowboys as a coaching analyst since 2022, Schottenheimer would have no issue adapting to Jones running the show. Sanders, on the other hand, would be a bit of a gamble financially.

While neither Sanders nor Schottenheimer came with NFL head coaching experience, the latter settled on a four-year deal that is reportedly giving him around $4.5 million. The Colorado Buffaloes coach, on the other hand, is currently on a five-year contract worth $54 million. If you do the math, that’s close to $11 million per season. Beyond that, the Cowboys would’ve also had to take care of Sanders’ $8 million buyout.

As for his part, Jones seems to be feeling the sting of the 30-year dry spell more than ever. After the 2025 collapse, he took some time for self-reflection, admitting that management had played a massive role in the team’s inability to succeed.

“I’ll admit that the Cowboys management has played a big role,” he said earlier this month. “But seriously, I’m very disappointed that the way we’re structured and my role puts us here tonight. I’m tremendously disappointed.”

Now, to fix the mess, Dallas has hired former Eagles assistant Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator. However, the legendary Woodson is already issuing a warning: Parker cannot do this alone.

Darren Woodson issues blunt warning to Cowboys

In Woodson’s opinion, Parker is inheriting a roster that is currently on the “lower end” of the league in terms of talent. He believes the team must avoid interfering and instead provide the young coordinator with the actual pieces needed to succeed.

“They have to get better on the personnel side and allow Parker to do his job,” Woodson warned.

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His primary advice for the 2026 roster is to fix the “middle” of the defense. Currently, he views the defensive line, the linebacker corps, and the safety positions as “extremely weak.”

But based on the Cowboys’ offseason activities, they seem to have realized the gravity of the situation. That’s why they are planning to build around Parker, providing him with a strong supporting staff. They are set to conduct interviews with former Ravens DC Zach Orr and Cardinals CB coach Ryan Smith this offseason.