NEED TO KNOWFormer President Bill Clinton surprised a crowd at a Dallas Cowboys pre-NFL Draft press conference in Frisco, Texas
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised Clinton as a “wonderful” president and friend, recalling their shared Arkansas roots and past interactions
Clinton joked about Jones’ playing weight as a college football player and wished the Cowboys luck in the draft
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has donated millions to President Donald Trump during his political career, but on Wednesday, April 22, he welcomed another president into his pre-NFL Draft press conference: former President Bill Clinton.
Jones, who owns the most valuable sports team in the world, called Clinton a “wonderful” president and friend after the Democrat crashed his press conference alongside Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and other team executives about halfway through the hourlong event.
“He’s been a wonderful, not only president, but a friend over the years,” Jones, 83, said after jumping up and appearing to stumble on his way to greet Clinton, 79. “Really happy to have you here.”
“Thank you, happy to see you. Have a good draft day,” Clinton replied. It was unclear why he was in Frisco, Texas, stopping by the Cowboys’ facilities.
Clinton had been in Boston on Monday, April 20, to cheer on his daughter Chelsea as she ran in the Boston Marathon.
The Cowboys have the 12th and 20th overall picks in the first round of the draft on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh.
After poking fun at the reporters gathered and commiserating with Clinton about what it’s like to deal with the press, the billionaire recounted visiting the White House in the 1990s after the Cowboys won a Super Bowl.
During that visit, Clinton recounted how Jones was the "every-player" on the 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks national championship team, Jones, who was co-captain of the team, recalled on Wednesday. Clinton was born in Arkansas and was governor of the state before being elected president twice.
“He was a young guy that was following the Hogs feverishly, mainly over the radio,” Jones said. “But he sat there, unprepared, and gave me the team three deep when we were there that day.”
Clinton then made Jones tell the gathered press how much he weighed when he played offensive guard for that Arkansas team — 160 lbs., far less than the modern linemen who typically weigh north of 300 lbs.
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“It’s a different world now,” Clinton said, joking that the Cowboys owner would be known as “the late Jerry Jones” if he attempted to get back into the game at 83.
Jones grew up in North Little Rock, Ark., and made his money in oil and gas exploration before purchasing the Cowboys in 1989.
Jones has also been friendly with Trump over the years, donating millions to campaign and inaugural accounts associated with the president’s political operation, according to reports.
In January, after Trump ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a special forces operation and brought him and his wife back to the U.S. to be prosecuted, Jones made a bizarre remark comparing himself to the president when asked about who would lead the search for his team’s next defensive coordinator.
"Trump just said it. I’m running Venezuela," Jones said on Jan. 7.