FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ coaches and players will be in meetings Saturday night when former Razorback and current Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
But the Arkansas contingent will all get a chance to watch the ceremony at a later date.
Jones, who was born in California but raised in North Little Rock, borrowed a million dollars from Jimmy Hoffa’s Teamsters in 1965 to open a chain of Shakey’s Pizza Parlors after being a captain for the 1964 Razorback national champion football team.
“We will be in meetings tonight when Jerry gets to speak, but I will definitely recorded it and have our whole team watch it,” coach Bret Bielema said. “It will be a special night and I am sure the Razorbacks will get mentioned and I know there are quite a few of them down there to celebrate with him.
“He truly is one of the greatest of all time in the world of football, not just college and the NFL, but the world of football in general, especially here in Arkansas.”
Bielema, who grew up a Cowboys fan, has seen his relationship blossom with Jones, who has amassed a estimated fortune of $5.2 billion per Forbes Magazine and has won three Super Bowls, since he took over as the Razorback coach.
“I grew up in the era and I was a Cowboys fan, my brother was a Vikings fan, my dad was a Bears fan so I got the most wins,” Bielema said. “I got to enjoy it a little bit. I grew up with the Randy Whites and the defensive players and watched the Super Bowls.
“So for me it has been like living a dream to get to know the family and be around them.”
Bielema also talked about how the the Jones’ family donating the money to build new Jerry & Gene Jones Family Student-Athlete Success Center, which opened in 2015.
“The thing that has been great for me is they built the Jones Center and it has been a game changer so not only has he changed the perspective of the Dallas Cowboys, but been game-changer in our program.”
Former Razorback football players currently with the Cowboys this season include tailback Darren McFadden, offensive lineman Dan Skipper, kicker-punter Sam Irwin Hill and vice president Stephen Jones.
I work a lot with Stephen (Jones) on the day-to-day details and to have Skip down there and to see Sam Irwin Hill punting and kicking and doing all that and to have Travis Frederick, one of my favorites from my old spot and to see so many guys now connected there is great.”