A docuseries centered on the Dallas Cowboys and owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones is in development from Skydance Sports, NFL Films and the Jerry Jones family.
The untitled series will reach deep into NFL Films’ vast archive of never-before-seen content and will trace Jones’ remarkable rise from the son of an Arkansas community store owner to being one of the most innovative and influential leaders in sports.
It will also spotlight the stars and partners who teamed with Jones along the way, including Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Head Coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, Rupert Murdoch, and Phil Knight.
When Jones risked everything to purchase the club in 1989, the team was coming off a 13-loss season and was losing in excess of $1 million a month. Less than a decade later, the Cowboys won three NFL titles.
“Sharing my father’s journey and his passion for the game, while presenting it in partnership with this talented and accomplished group will take sports fans, fans of business, families, and everyone watching on an adventure like none other,” Dallas Cowboys executive vice president and chief brand officer said in a statement.
The series marks the first project from the newly-formed joint venture between Skydance Media and the NFL.
“We are incredibly excited to create a thrilling ride through one of the most memorable and high powered turnarounds in football history,” NFL Films senior executive Ross Ketover said in a statement. “Launching this first series with Skydance Sports marks a momentous occasion for our partnership as we build the premiere sports studio of the future. NFL Films coined the term ‘America’s Team,’ so having this first project be about the biggest brand in all of sports is perfectly fitting.”
David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold and Jon Weinbach will executive produce for Skydance Sports with Ketover, Pat Kelleher, Brian Rolapp and Hans Schroeder executive producing for NFL Films. Jones will executive produce for the Jones family and Cowboys. John Skipper will also serve as an executive producer.
“Jerry Jones is an incomparable figure. With the Dallas Cowboys, he has built the world’s most valuable sports franchise and has undeniably transformed both modern football and the sports business at-large,” Sisgold added. “It is an honor to commemorate his journey and that of his dynasty by partnering with the Jones family, the Dallas Cowboys organization, and NFL Films to bring this uniquely American story to life.”
Initially launched in 2021, Skydance Sports has become the preeminent studio for leagues, teams, elite athletes and A-List Hollywood talent seeking to produce premium, sports-related entertainment. Last year, Skydance Sports and the NFL formed a joint venture whereby the former serves as a multi-sports studio to create premium programming across unscripted and scripted genres.
Most recently, the studio released its first scripted project in the critically acclaimed film “Air,” directed by Ben Affleck and starring Affleck, Matt Damon and Viola Davis, about the birth of the Air Jordan Brand. The film premiered exclusively in theaters ahead of its release on Prime Video later this year.
The studios’ first release, “Good Rivals,” debuted on Prime Video and was nominated for “Outstanding Documentary Series” at the Sports Emmy Awards.
