Sports are weird. Fans dedicate large parts of their lives to teams including cheering for them on game day, attending games or buying all kinds of merchandise. Sometimes, sports fandoms can lead people to start rumors, with some going viral and really garnering a lot of attention.
The Cowboys finished the regular season with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs. Despite not being one of the playoff teams this year, Dallas has still been in the news as many are wondering what fate awaits current head coach Mike McCarthy. His contract is up later this month, and his future with the franchise is uncertain.
With there being some unknowns about the future of the Cowboys, someone decided to start a rumor on social media that businessman Elon Musk was going to buy the NFL franchise. He already purchased Twitter and turned it into X, so surely purchasing the Cowboys was going to be the next step, right?
Here, we de-bunk the claims that Musk is buying the Cowboys away from team owner Jerry Jones.
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Did Elon Musk buy the Cowboys?
No. Unless the deal has been completed behind closed doors, no analysts have leaked it and the team is just waiting to announce the transition, Musk has not purchased the Dallas NFL franchise.
BREAKING: Billionaire Elon Musk emerges as leading candidate to buy Dallas Cowboys for $12 billion, leaving NFL fans both shocked and excited. pic.twitter.com/Wr9jx2ChMj
— Off The Top Rope! (@MrHappenstances) January 6, 2025
There have been several iterations of this rumor that have popped up over the course of the season. One claimed that Musk purchased the team for a little over $9 billion, while the latest viral rumor was that he bought the team for $12 billion. Another claimed the final sale price was $18 billion. With the team not having a guaranteed head coach, and coming off a losing season, it's tough to tell what has caused the fictional price to double.
How would you feel if Elon Musk bought the Dallas Cowboys? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/IMvHJnX20u
— Ernie The Cowboys Fan (@es3_09) July 10, 2024
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How much did Jerry Jones pay for the Cowboys?
Jones bought the Cowboys from H.R. Bright in 1989. He made an instant impact by firing long-time head coach Tom Landry and replacing him with Jimmy Johnson. Jones purchased the Cowboys for $140 million, which was estimated to be about $300 million as of 2023.
Needless to say, he got quite the deal on the team. Forbes valued the Dallas franchise at $10.1 billion in 2024. Ironically, this number is right in line with some of the fake rumors that have been spread about a sale. Still, it is all just a way for fans that are upset with how Jones is running the team to cope.
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Would Jerry Jones sell the Cowboys to Elon Musk?
Not likely. Jones has said that part of what he loves about owning the team is that it has turned into the family business. His children are involved in the organization. His son Stephen is the Chief Operating Officer, his daughter Charlotte is the Chief Brand Officer and his son Jerry Jr. is the Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Charlotte's son, Jerry's grandson, works as a scouting assistant.
In fact, Jones went viral earlier this week for talking about working with his children in a fictional television show called "Landman".
Jones would likely have to be offered an exorbitant amount of money to even consider it, and would then probably want to clear it with his family. It doesn't seem like he is thinking of selling the team any time soon, furthering dispelling the rumors that he sold the team to Musk.
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