Jerry Jones suggests Cowboys decided against pursuing Derrick Henry because star RB 'wasn't a fit'

Derrick Henry has been one of the most dominant running backs in the NFL in recent years. However, the Tennessee Titans decided to let the four-time Pro Bowler hit the free agent market earlier this year.

In March, Henry signed with the Baltimore Ravens. While some debated whether the 30-year-old could still be a dominant player, he has proven to be a catalyst for the Ravens this season. Henry leads the league with 873 rushing yards through the first seven weeks of the season.

Shortly after signing with the Ravens, Henry pointed out that he had not been contacted by the Dallas Cowboys during his brief time on the open market. This week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to explain why the franchise declined to pursue the star running back.

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Oct. 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

“In my opinion, we're not playing very good football at all right now,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “It's not about whether we have Derrick Henry or not. Derrick Henry is having a career year.”

Jones then suggested that the Cowboys' offensive philosophy would not help Henry achieve similar success as he currently has with the Ravens.

“I don’t know if he would have that career year in our situation,” Jones continued. “And that’s really something to really pay attention to. Because if he hadn't had as many carries as our running backs, then he certainly wouldn't have had the impact he has. And then he is one.” “A really good addition to the type of attack they run. We don’t engage in this type of attack at all.”

DERRICK HENRY SAYS COWBOYS DIDN'T CALL HIM IN FREE AGENCY AT ALL

Jones then pointed to salary cap restrictions after determining that Henry “wasn’t a fit.”

“Derrick Henry wasn't a fit, especially because he had a handle on the (salary) cap … in anticipation of the players we would sign weeks later, (and) in anticipation of the players we would sign in the future.” “

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball en route to a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

The Cowboys' running game has struggled for much of this season, which has led to further questions about the organization's decision to pass on Henry. He rushed for 169 yards in the Ravens' 41-31 win over the Buccaneers on Monday. He ran for 151 yards in a win over the Cowboys last month.

Jones was not prompted when he mentioned Henry's name during the conversation. The interview also marked the first time the longtime Cowboys owner called the radio station since he threatened to fire the morning show hosts from their positions.

Jones made the suggestion after being asked about the Cowboys' relatively uneventful offseason, with the billionaire previously vowing to go “all in” for the 2024 season.

Jones refrained from issuing a full apology when he returned to the airwaves, saying he was “surprised” that the exchange attracted so much attention. “I have nothing to say about last week,” he replied when asked about the now-viral moment. “I’m surprised there was so much attention last week.”

Jones also took a few moments during the extensive discussion to comment on recent criticism former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman leveled at the team's wide receiver group. Jones made it clear that Aikman “knows football” and described him as someone who is “fair.”

Oct. 16, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (right) speaks with former quarterback Troy Aikman before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

“He’s very professional,” Jones said of Aikman. “I think he is very fair. … I'm pretty confident that we have the ability to coach and we have some receivers that can take the coaching and improve. And that’s the most important thing – improving.”

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The Cowboys will travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers later this week. The Niners will be without Brandon. Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and ACL in last Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

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