Get All Access for $5/mo

The Dallas Cowboys' Owner May Be Fined for His Halloween Costume. Was It Demeaning? The controversial photo of Jerry Jones' costume was posted by his niece.

By Jonathan Small

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Jerry Jones, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was all smiles at a Halloween party over the weekend. But the NFL might not find his recent antics so funny.

Jones arrived dressed as a blind NFL referee, complete with dark sunglasses, a striped shirt, and a walking stick. His niece snapped a photo for her social, and it went viral shortly after that.

The joke was clearly on the refs, who are routinely criticized by owners, players, and fans alike for their questionable calls on the field.

The problem is that the NFL has rules when it comes to tossing shade at the men in black and white.

A 2019 league memo states:

"Comments regarding the quality of officiating, individual calls or missed calls, the league's officiating department, an officiating crew or an individual game official accusing game officials of acting with bias or in any way questioning the integrity of NFL game officials; or posting negative or derogatory/demeaning content pertaining to officiating on social media."

Jerry Jones responds to the controversy

When asked by Sports Illustrated if he was poking fun at the refs, Jones cried foul.

"I'm being very careful here because I'm getting real close to a fine," he said. 'It shows how much I love them to dress up as them ... how much I respect their decision-making. I had the cane and everything. And I used it on some people, too."

Coming to his father's defense, Stephen Jones, who is CEO and Executive VP of the Cowboys, told a sports radio show, "I do think they [the refs] understand you can have some humor with this stuff, but I can't imagine they don't think there's nothing but respect that comes out of the Cowboys organization in terms of how difficult their job is and what a good job they do, as well."

At press time, the NFL had not publicly commented on Costumegate.

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

Founder, Write About Now Media

Jonathan Small is an award-winning author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.

Business News

Apple's AI Has a Catch — And It Could Help Boost Sales

Not every iPhone owner will get to use the new Apple Intelligence.

Business News

Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Employees from Using Apple Products, Says Will Lock Devices in 'Cages'

The Tesla founder sounded off on X following Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.

Business Culture

You'll Always Have Anxious Employees if You Don't Follow These 4 Leadership Tactics

Creating a thriving workplace environment hinges on the commitment of company leaders to nurture and inspire their teams.