This Saturday’s Cowboys vs. Lions game will include a moment that has been 30 years in the making during halftime.
Thirty years after he brought two Lombardi Trophies to Dallas and then broke up with owner Jerry Jones, the Cowboys will induct former head coach Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium.
Naturally, the 2023 Cowboys will be focused on winning their 11th game of the season and snapping a two-game losing streak against playoff-caliber opponents. However, head coach Mike McCarthy is aware of the ceremony’s historical significance for the franchise.
“Those represent significant events,” McCarthy stated on Tuesday. “The Dallas Cowboys have an impeccable history and tradition.”
“There is always a nod to the history. It seems significant to me. These people, in my opinion, set the groundwork for the Cowboys’ success. Jerry recognizing those guys, and you seeing them around here, is fantastic, in my opinion. It’s a wonderful and integral aspect of being a Dallas Cowboy.
Surprisingly, though, he won’t be the only coach in the building who is excited to see Johnson’s name added to the list of 24 that appear on the inner façade of the stadium.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell described being the team’s opponent on such a historic day as “awesome.” Campbell grew up in Clifton, Texas, and describes himself as “a huge Jimmy Johnson fan.”
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, he told reporters, “I feel like that was for us.”
“He has always captivated me,” Campbell, a former tight end with the Cowboys who arrived in Dallas ten years following Johnson’s 1993 departure, remarked. “His approach, his coaching philosophy, his core values, and the way he assembled that team.” The manner in which they engaged in play. And I simply believe that he is unique.
But instead of being star-struck, Campbell will be searching for his brilliant Detroit team to sabotage the Cowboys’ victory. The Lions, who were recently proclaimed division winners for the first time since Johnson’s final season in Dallas, are still in contention to secure the top seed in the NFC, but they need to win out in order to have any mathematical chance of doing so.
Campbell tells his guys, “I respect the hell out of the man,” and he plans to be there the night the Cowboys commemorate Johnson.
Because that’s what comes to mind, I consider it an honor that we get to go out there,” he remarked. Yes, our team has a chance to win, but we also have an opportunity to do something that makes our man proud. He
McCarthy is excited to welcome Johnson as well. McCarthy claimed that earlier this year, the two traveled to Florida together and even went out on Johnson’s boat. During their time on the boat, the Hall of Fame coach enjoyed a few beers (of course, Troy Aikman’s EIGHT brand) and even offered some guidance on leading the American team.
“He certainly did,” McCarthy grinned. “He certainly did.” Everything went well.
If Johnson’s lucky night also results in a classic Cowboys victory that brings back memories of the coach’s dynasty era, it would be even more wonderful.