IRVING, Texas — Stephen Jones chuckles at the memory of being mediator between his dad —yeah, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — and headstrong former coach Bill Parcells.
"It was tough, tough, tough," the No. 2 man in Dallas' front office says. "But it was worth it."
And it helped shape the chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel into what he is today: the person widely perceived to be calling the shots for the Cowboys.
They've picked foundation over flash in recent drafts and decided not to stress the salary cap with a big contract for DeMarco Murray after he led the NFL in rushing for a playoff team.