Amidst his courtship of the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas mayor Eric Johnson makes a case to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones that two teams can work in the city.
If it were up to Dallas mayor Eric Johnson, the dallas Cowboys would not be the only NFL team in his city.
When voters in Jackson County, Missouri rejected a sales tax proposal to fund renovations for Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson wasted no time in campaigning. The Dallas mayor posted “Welcome home, Dallas Texans!” in reference to the original name of the Chiefs, and has continued to push for them to move since then.
The latest development comes in an interview with The Athletic, where Johnson said the Chiefs have a “serious opportunity” to move back to Dallas.
“The connections are so deep, the history is so rich,” Johnson told The Athletic. “We actually could put together the deals that would make sense for them to get them here.”
If the Chiefs are even considering a move to Dallas (unlikely at this point), they’re facing a serious hurdle in the form of opposition from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The Cowboys, who technically play just outside of Dallas in Arlington, are the NFL’s most-valuable franchise with a value of over $9 billion, and Jones has been vocal about not wanting another team stepping on his toes.
Despite Jones’ concerns, Johnson believes that there is actually room for two NFL teams to succeed in Dallas.
“You never say never because he’s a businessman and he’s in the business of making money,” Johnson said. “There is a strong argument to make that the Cowboys’ franchise value is not tied to the city it plays in or is connected with. It’s an international phenomenon at this point.
“It’s not about us. It’s about what’s in the best interests of these organizations we care about. I believe there’s an argument to be made to Jerry Jones that is not hurtful and potentially beneficial to the Jones family and the Dallas Cowboys to be the epicenter of football by having two NFL franchises, one in each conference, that compete here every single week and bring attention to this market.”
Johnson also said he has “an open line of communication” with Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. Hunt, 59, is from Dallas, lives in the area and oversees FC Dallas of Major League Soccer, so the connection goes even deeper than just the Chiefs’ history.
The Chiefs’ lease at Arrowhead Stadium runs through January of 2031, so there’s plenty of time for them to figure out a local solution. Until a resolution is reached, though, it seems like Johnson will continue to campaign for a second NFL team, even if Jones disapproves.
