Son.Jerry Jones believes the Dallas Cowboys are what every franchise strives to become, pointing to their $13 billion valuation. But while the Cowboys dominate the business side of the NFL, one uncomfortable fact remains: they haven’t reached the NFC Championship Game since 1995.

In a recent interview, Jerry Jones didn’t hesitate to assert that the Dallas Cowboys are the model every NFL team aspires to be. The figure he cited captured the league’s attention: the team’s estimated value is approximately $13 billion – the highest not only in the NFL but in the entire world of sports.

Indeed, from a business perspective, the Cowboys are an empire. From their global brand, massive fanbase, lucrative sponsorship deals, to media attention far exceeding their on-court achievements, the Dallas Cowboys have become a symbol of commercial power. For Jerry Jones, this is proof of a long-term vision: building a team not just for competition, but for longevity.

However, a paradox exists here that leaves fans feeling disheartened. While the Cowboys dominate the economic front, an uncomfortable truth remains: the team hasn’t returned to the NFC Championship Game since 1995. Three decades have passed, generations of players, coaches, and opponents have changed—but Dallas’s Super Bowl dream remains just a memory.

This contrast makes the Cowboys a unique phenomenon in the NFL: the richest team, yet also the one with the most lingering anxieties. People don’t doubt Jerry Jones’ ambition, nor deny his excellent commercial management skills. The question is: can off-field success compensate for years of missed sporting glory?

For fans, the $13 billion valuation can’t replace the feeling of watching their team play in the biggest game of the conference. The best-selling jerseys, the magnificent stadium, or the status of “America’s Team” are only truly complete when accompanied by a historic victory. And that’s the biggest pressure weighing on the Cowboys — not financial, but legacy.

Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys have become the ideal team every other team wants to emulate. But time will tell the more important question: when history looks back, will the Dallas Cowboys be remembered as a great business empire — or a true sporting legend?

The answer, perhaps, awaits on the field.